Riptide
by HMS Siren
Summary: Yukio. A genius, straight-A student at True Cross Academy. Rin. Southern Cross Beach's surfing prodigy. After spending months away at school, Yukio returns to his home town to cheer his twin brother on when he participates in the Akuma Kahakai surfing competition. But as the contest approaches, Rin is fatally wounded, and there is only one person who can take his place.
1. Prologue

**A/N:**

 **Hails: This is just an idea I'm playing around with. I only have the first 5 chapters planned out for this one, so don't expect much. I recently am running with KingOuma's story** ** _The Rogue Half-Demon_** **, but that's in the midst of some extensive planning, and I'm not sure what to do with _Saiai_ and I'm dealing with crap while writing _Soul of the Fairy_. Not to mention there's a contest going on on DeviantArt, but I've got a massive case of Writer's Struggle (my term for crap writing) for that. So, I'm going to take some time away from all that and blow steam off with this story.**

 **I think it'll be fun, and a nice break away from my normal stuff. Might as well!**

* * *

 _My father always said the ocean was filled with endless possibilities, and he loved to go out and invent such things. To the beaches in Southern True Cross Town, he was a role model, a beacon of light for some blooming water athletes. He always claimed that sitting on the sand and watching the rookies turn into novices turn into intermediates was inspiring, but got boring after a while. He couldn't sit still for very long, so instead he'd snatch the nearest cleanly waxed board, his or not, and go surf the waves._

 _Everyone on the beach would say the same thing about my father. "That one Shiro Fujimoto is the epitome of awe inspiring insanity." And it's true._

 _He was the Akuma Kahakai Champion five years in a row._

 _That translates to Demon Beach._

 _Meaning this was the most intense surfing contest this side of Japan. Not that my father was frightened. He dominated the competition every year, and everyone admired him for that. But just thinking about how he won is what makes me laugh. I heard that one year he pulled the last opposing finalist off his board and onto his, and the duo surfed the winning wave a solid eight seconds. He broke a local record and won that contest at the same time. The opposing finalist became his best friend. Johann Faust._

 _But it wasn't just surfing that brought him joy. It was also teaching others about the flow of the waves and balance on the water. Shura Kirigakure was one of his best students. I should know, she would pick on me all the time. Still does, actually. But despite her carefree, go-with-the-flow attitude, she worked hard under my father's care. She has an iron strong will and determination to show him up on the waves. She never does, but Shiro Fujimoto never let her quit. Another admirable trait about him. He refused to let anyone quit for petty reasons. If they were going to train under him, they had to be willing to stay. They had to be willing to put up with his crazy training methods._

 _Most of the them ended with the trainee getting soaked in water while he screamed "Wipe out!" A plethora of his pupils weren't very happy. I don't blame them._

 _Outside of Shura and a few others, the only students who trained intensively with him was myself, and my twin brother Rin._

 _Ever since we were little, we would watch our father surf every morning at sunrise. In both of our eyes, our father was like a god. He could tame the thundering waves and ride them. He could dual surf with any person due to his perpetual balance, and hold both himself and them right where they were for eternal periods of time. He could do the impossible. He was relentless and he never tired, and he never frowned. He always had a smile on his face. We loved our father._

 _One day, Rin looked him straight in the eyes - this little four-year old looked at our father with big, passionate blue eyes and demanded: "Teach me." And so Shiro Fujimoto took on his eldest son, and taught him about the ocean. A few days later I worked up the courage to become a student alongside Rin. Of course my brother practically forced me into learning, but once I got my first taste of the water, there was no going back. We trained with him for a straight two years. School hardly mattered in that case. Well, to Rin it didn't. I still tried to work hard, and I got straight A's. Like that ever mattered._

 _After about six months we could surf with adult supervision, but we didn't need help getting up on our boards. Our father watched us about waist deep in the water just to make sure we didn't drown. After another year, at which point we were six-years old, our Father trusted his friends Shura and Johann to babysit us when we were surfing. As an adult, of course my father had things to do. He was a priest, but he also had another job. He had to make sure we could make a living somehow. We were still a family, albeit a small family of three, but a family nonetheless._

 _When both me and Rin reached seven years of age, we were trusted to be out there alone. We started doing tricks on the waves, classics like hang-10 and aerials. But also, we invented our own tricks. Since we used smaller boards sometimes, my brother would try to make the board spin a 360 circle on the water, and sometimes he succeeded. Sometimes even I'd get caught in the fun, and we'd invent all kinds of cool tricks. Rin would sometimes do something of penguin surfing on his belly. But one of our experiments got us dubbed the nicknames of a primate and a flightless bird when Shura saw Rin trying to regain his balance while I was flailing around with not a single idea of what I was doing._

 _It was eventually dubbed Okumura Waving by our father._

 _It happened by accident, in truth. What happened was that my brother had attempted to steal my wave, like he had been doing successfully for past half hour. When he tried again, my brain seemed to snap, and the normal programmed objective changed. Instead of just taking it, my mind flipped a switch and went: "Not this time." Our boards collided, and we held onto each others' wrists, after almost losing it in the fashionable style of monkey and chicken mind you; we surfed that wave. Some how our boards were stuck, and they spiraled multiple times. Two little seven-year olds achieved the impossible in surfing._

 _Everyone who tried to replicate the move failed miserably. Even my father. Even Shura. Rin and I did the same move over and over again to prove it wasn't an accident. We were the only ones capable of such a miraculous, ridiculous, and accidental insanity. Rin and I, we became the beach's youngest and most talented surfers. Prodigies in the eyes of the public, and all the denizens of the beach adored us._ _Everyone said the same thing: "Those twins. They're definitely Shiro's kids." And I believed them._

 _Little did I know. That year, everything would change._

 _The annual Akuma Kahakai surfing contest would be happening soon, and my father would be aiming for his sixth year as the champion. Like every year, he outdid the competition, and by the fifth day, he had won the judges favor. So had another surfer by the name of Kishi Israel, but the beach knew him as Egyn. Everyone knew Fujimoto and Israel were incredible rivals. Although the latter took their rivalry a little more seriously. On the fifth day of the contest, Israel jacked a clean wave from my father, and scored massive points. My father only had one chance for victory._

 _A maverick._

 _Only the professionals surf mavericks, those who have been training fervently for months, even years. Only a select few surfers were capable of such a feat. My father was among those few. But riptide messed up the current of the wave, and pulled him towards the Devil's Teeth, a collection of sharp and jagged rocks our father forbid us from ever going near. He always put restrictions to stay at least half of a mile away from them so Rin or I weren't hurt, or worse. He didn't want us to die. The competition just so happened to step over those boundaries. My father hit one of the rocks and went under._

 _He never resurfaced._

 _And they found the body three hours later._

 _That was the year Egyn was named the Akuma Kahakai Champion. And also the year I lost my father._

 _I nor Rin touched our surf boards for months, so adrift in our depression that we lost the motivation to do anything we once loved doing. Shura and Johann would take care of us, and we'd juggle between their houses when the pain of staying home became too much. Sometimes we'd even stay with the priests from the monastery. But nothing could ever take our pain away. We cried, we became emotionless, we were lost. At this point most of the priests like Nagatomo and Izumi suggested we look to God for guidance and pray. But neither of us had it in us to pray._

 _We were just little kids._

 _I eventually became so focused on schoolwork and building a mask so no one could see the ugly mess of tears and anger I truly was that no one even recognized me anymore. I proceeded through my studies at the top of my class, and eventually moved onto higher privileges, earning empty praise from all my teachers. I worked hard everyday, forgetting about the beach, and about surfing, and about Okumura Waving, and about my brother. I skipped a grade in junior high and was eventually admitted to the ever prestigious high school, True Cross Academy, where I would soon move away from the place I called home for fifteen years._

 _My brother, when we turned eight, despite it being the emptiest birthday of our lives, found it within him to go near the ocean again. I saw him one day surfing the waves like we had all those months ago. Rin, sick of depression and anxiety, grabbed a board and began riding the waves again. He brought hope and light back into the lives of the others on the beach. He was a tiny star in the distance, reaching out to tell people not to be sad anymore, because Shiro Fujimoto wouldn't want them to be sad. My brother became the next aspiring prodigy surfer, and he vowed that when he turned fifteen, he would participate in the annual Akuma Kahakai Surfing Competition. And he would win._

 _I, on the other hand..._

 _Wanted nothing to do with surfing, ever again._

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Hails: Like I said, just a little idea I'm playing around with. All feedback is appreciated! Let me know how you feel in the review section.**


	2. Shoulder Devil

**A/N:**

 **Hails: Dang, I got some surprisingly positive feedback. Everyone seems to love it! This is a good sign to continue right?**

 **This chapter has 3,310 words!**

 **Also, it occurred to me that I made Iblis (Ichiro Fudo) Fujimoto's rival in the previous chapter. It struck me how odd that was and decided that I'd pick Egyn (Kishi Israel) as Fujimoto's rival instead. You know, King of Water and all.**

 **All feedback is appreciated, let me know how you feel in the review section and I will see about getting a new chapter up as soon as possible.**

* * *

Yukio Okumura stood before his locker, trying not so subtly to retrieve his books as slowly as possible. He'd just been released from his last class of the day, and unlike all the other students, he had not been looking forward to Spring Break. If he was idle for more than five minutes, he felt absolutely useless. So he knew Spring Break was going to be hell. He glanced at his watch; he blinked once, twice, three times, and sighed. _There's no getting out of it._ He reminded himself. He shut his locker, twisting the dial until until he heard the soft _click_ , indicating it was locked, and turned to head to his dorm.

The unfortunate shoulder devil on his left had plenty of arguments as to why he should just stay at True Cross Academy and study for the rapidly approaching finals in a few weeks. _You can just visit them in the summer_ _; You don't even like the water; It's too painful to go back._ But his better judgement shot down every reason as to why he should stay. Yukio didn't spend the past month convincing his teachers to agree to minimum homework over the break, taking it up with his boss and coworkers to get the week off from his part-time job, and ultimately pretending to overexcite himself with Headmaster Faust, an old friend of his father's.

Even if he really didn't want to go, he had to. For his brother's sake.

Over Spring Break, the beaches of Southern True Cross Town, the city Yukio originally hailed from, was going to be holding the annual Akuma Kahakai surfing competition. Yukio's brother, Rin, would be participating this year as the youngest surfer to ever ride the waves of the Polu Kai beaches. He couldn't miss, and he promised he'd come to support Rin. After all, what kind of brother would he be if he didn't come home to cheer his older brother on? He repeatedly chanted to himself that there was no getting out of it, no matter how badly he wanted to.

He glanced up at the sky as he exited the building and headed across campus in a west-point stride style of walking. He clutched his book bag, releasing another deep breath. _Brother..._ Yukio thought absentmindedly.

"Yuki! Yuki, wait up!" Yukio stopped just short of a sweet, feminine voice calling his name. He turned, turquoise eyes widening in surprise. His childhood friend, Shiemi Moriyama, was leading the clique of teens Yukio usually hung out with towards him. He adjusted his glasses, and straightened his troublesome composure just in time for the usually gentle and petite girl to slam into him, successfully wrapping him in a hug. He grunted in surprise at the sudden force. "Yuki!" Shiemi exclaimed excitedly. "I'm so glad I caught you."

"Oh, hello Shiemi." Yukio said airily, trying to regain his breath. "How are you?"

Shiemi jumped back and looked up at Yukio with big, excited eyes which gleamed elatedly with the color of freshly cut grass.

"I'm doing good." Her blonde hair swished as she bobbed her head, hoping to hide the light blush that creeped up on her cheeks. "I just wanted to ask if you were going home for the break."

"Uh, yeah. I am." Yukio smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "If it's not any trouble, why do you ask?"

Shiemi seemed taken aback, and unsure how to answer. She stuttered frantically, trying to find the words but never completing a sentence. She spoke in fragments, struggling to wholly say something.

"It's probably just because she wanted to spend the break with you, Okumura." Renzo Shima, one of Yukio's classmates, commented on the pair's closeness. He was a lanky young man, and always had a mischievous thing to say. "Sneaky Moriyama. Are you planning something naughty?"

"What!" Shiemi exclaimed. She waved her hands around frenetically, her face going a deep shade of strawberry red. "No. No no no! That's not the case. Yuki and I are just friends!"

Yukio decided not to comment.

Shima laughed, running a hand through his short, soft pink hair. Though it wasn't long before the boy was cuffed in the back of the head by a strong arm. Shima winced, muttering a tiny _"ow"_ under his breath. Although despite being thumped, Shima still chuckled bitterly.

"Knock it off, Shima." Another classmate muttered. He had a muscular, tall stature, taller than Yukio's, and a deep voice. He held a stern expression, and hard, brown eyes. His most prominent feature had to be his thick brown hair, with a blonde streak pulled back by hair gel. "You don't need to tease them. They're probably not even dating."

"Thank you, Suguro." Yukio glanced at his friend with a look of graciousness. Ryuji Suguro nodded in return. They began walking side by side, and the rest of the clique of teens followed suit. Most of the time they remained silent, the teenagers in the back chatting quietly before Suguro spoke up, asking Yukio a question he didn't want to answer.

"So you're actually going home? Why?" Yukio almost snapped, but he maintained his emotionless composure. "I mean, not to pry, but it's just unlike you."

"What do you mean?" Yukio queried, peering at Suguro with a genuinely curious expression.

"Well, during all the other breaks you stayed at the academy, and now all of a sudden you're trying to go home." Suguro commented. "Don't think I haven't seen. Trying to receive less homework than usual is odd behavior, especially for you."

"Really, I hadn't noticed."

Suguro didn't seem to believe such a statement, but didn't press any further other than to still ask 'why?"

"I'm just going to visit family. I haven't seen them for eight months, so I figured it would be a good idea." Yukio explained, although choosing to leave out specific details, such as his brother and the surfing competition, which would change the entire situation. _Simple explanation. Piece of cake._ Yukio thought triumphantly.

"Eight months, huh?" Suguro repeated. "I know the feeling. I'd been avoiding going home for a while too. Though fortunately or unfortunately, I can't decide, Shima and Koneko convinced me otherwise. Said it would be good to reconcile, considering I left home on terms that weren't all that pleasant." Suguro then quickly caught his mistake and corrected it. "Though I don't know the conditions of your home, and it's none of of my business, it would still be a good idea to see family again. Even if it's just for a little while."

"I wouldn't say I left on bad terms." Yukio said, choosing thankfully not to grace his friend with a comeback about family life. "It's just, things changed as I was growing up. Things that I'd wanted to stay the same. I hadn't prepared fully for the events that had taken place, and as a result, it almost tore me away from my family. I've been avoiding this for eight long months, but as every wiseman would probably say: 'you can't run from your fears forever.'"

Suguro nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, I don't know why you guys are having a depressing heart-to-heart since Spring Break just started, but stop being boring!" Shima came up behind both Suguro and Yukio eagerly. His brown eyes gleamed mischievously, and his lips were pulled into a devilish smirk. "I don't know about you, but I am looking forward to an awesome Spring Break! You know how my brothers, Kinzo and Juuzo, are both the champions of multiple surfing contests?"

Yukio felt an unwanted chill run down his side. _Surfing? I didn't know any of the Shima Clan in Kyoto did surfing. Why did it have to be surfing?_ He almost responded with an answer along the lines of 'no' but one of his classmates beat him to a different answer.

"Yeah, what about them?" Suguro asked.

"See, get this. They discovered this competition in Southern True Cross Town, and it has some of some of the most skilled professional surfers of all time. Despite the lack of fame, the majority of the locals say the contest is the most intense to ever exist in Japan. Or at least that's what I heard. Kinzo and Juuzo invited me to watch them participate." Shima babbled excitedly about what he was planning on doing, smiling all the way. All this was happening while Yukio focused on his indecisive ability on choosing whether or not he should curse aloud. "Here's the best part! They met this rookie surfer down there who has the nickname of the Hellspawn. I heard he nearly destroyed my brothers when they challenged him to a surf off."

Yukio visibly paled, swallowing the lump in his throat. _Rin... why did you go and make a name for yourself?_

"Out of curiosity," Konekomaru Miwa began. "what is the name of this competition called?"

"The Akuma Kahakai Surfing Competition." Yukio answered out of habit, and he couldn't stop the words from leaving his mouth.

"Yep!" Shima replied, but then almost stopped dead in his tracks. "Wait..."

 _No! Idiot! Why did you say that? Now they're going to... Oh, forget it._ Yukio's train of thought halted suddenly when he realized his mistake. He gave up trying to hide it anymore like he had been doing rather successfully for the past month.

"How did you know that, Okumura?"

"I... have a brother who's taking part in the competition." Yukio answered truthfully. "I actually come from Southern True Cross Town, so I'm familiar with the Akuma Kahakai Surfing Competition." Yukio sighed, then proceeded to adjusted his glasses.

Shima gave him a blank expression, before realization dawned on him what this meant. He broke out into a huge grin, seeing this as utterly fantastic.

"Well, that's perfect! I was going to invite everyone to go check out the competition, since I heard none of us were planning on doing anything all during the break." Shima exclaimed elatedly. "But now that I know that you're going down there anyway, that means we'll all get to hang out. That is, if any of you want to come."

Yukio refrained from groaning when a chorus of agreements rang out behind him. He seriously began contemplating whether or not the day he so reluctantly was dealing with could actually get any worse. But just as the shoulder devil spoke up about how this was another reason to stay at the academy, he shoved down any doubts and argued once more that: "You're going for your brother's sake."

"Then it's settled. We'll all go check out the competition. We leave today!" Shima declared dominantly, pointing to the sky. "What are you guys still doing here? Go pack your things! The train leaves in a hour!"

The clique of teens cheered excitedly.

As for Yukio, well, he could only sigh dejectedly. He'd lost this round against fate.

* * *

Yukio balanced his options between a white dress shirt and a green polo, before scrapping the decision for either. _I heard it's supposed to be sunny down there the entire week anyway,_ Yukio thought, then stalked over to his wardrobe to select a simple, white t-shirt. He almost considered not even packing at all, since his father owned a house down there which both Rin and Yukio had stayed in on occasion. Yukio had decided to pack anyway for the sake of reminding himself that he was only going home for a week, not permanently. He wouldn't be doing anything too extensive, or at least he hoped.

"Hey, Okumura..." Suguro, who had been made Yukio's roommate at the beginning of the year, began asking. "are you okay?"

"I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?" Yukio answered irritably, as if he were daring Suguro to say another word about the trip. Suguro either didn't get the message that Yukio wanted to be left alone, or he just didn't care. In this case, he seemed to be testing Yukio's patience, who in turn found that he was struggling to retain a calm and composed stature for the sake of at least appearing mature.

"Look, if it has to do with the trip..." The genius student shot Suguro a glare that spoke an unpleasant 'just shut up, please.' Suguro complied rather airily, which somehow managed to further grate Yukio's nerves.

"I just don't want to talk about it." Yukio continued off. "It's not anyone else's fault," _It actually kind of is your fault, but I won't say that out loud._ "I just need to be mature about the situation, even if I don't want to be."

"Okumura, I just wanted to say that if you want to talk about it, I'm willing to listen." Suguro finally said after a moment of silence. "I get that dealing with family isn't all that easy. Still, I want you know that I can support you if you need it."

Yukio didn't comment at first, but after a bit of reminiscing, he smiled.

"Thank you, Suguro." Yukio said brightly. "I appreciate the support. It's helpful. But I think I'll be able to handle my brother just fine. It's just, there are others I'm worried about. Others I rather wouldn't bring up even if the circumstances were different."

Suguro didn't say anything after that, having nothing else to say.

Yukio felt rather grateful for the silence as he lugged his half full suitcase to his bed where he could pack easier. Yukio found it the situation of packing now close to effortless when rifling through his dresser for clothes. He knew he'd only be staying a week, but better safe than sorry. He picked out striped blue and white shirt which had a vertical set of three buttons near the top. He neatly folded the shirt and placed it in his suitcase. He counted the articles of clothing, then realized he's need one more pair of pants. He'd never worn shorts a day in his life, so he picked out a set of worn jeans. He'd rather not wear his new ones anyway.

Finally satisfied, Yukio went about collecting bathroom cosmetics such as a toothbrush and comb. The task lasted hardly five minutes, and found pockets for them facilely. When he finished, he stopped by his desk for any trinkets he could find to fit. He snagged a keychain he could attach to his suitcase from a hook on the wall. The charm was a brightly colored surfboard with the words 'Okumura Brothers 2007 engraved on it.' Call it a memento, but to Yukio, it was a reminder of good times. Times before his father's death.

Before, Yukio finished up at his desk, he noted a folded paper. The date was scrawled messily at the top in black ink, and the text had multiple strikethroughs running through the words. There had been a noticeable lack of commas and terrible grammar on the paper too, but Yukio didn't mind. He was used to Rin's terrible penmanship. It was a letter from his brother about how things had been going the past month. He remembered responding to it and saying he'd be down there to support him in the Akuma Kahakai Surfing Competition.

 _3/1/15_

 _Hey, Yukio._

 _So top of your class again huh? You always were the brainiac. I couldn't get that far even if I tried. I'm so proud of you! I have so many questions that I haven't been able to ask yet. Do you have any friends? you are making friends right? and you arent over working yourself? I know I always have to tell you to take a break here and there because you never know when to quit! Youll work yourself to death one day I swear! HOnestly you should really take a break even if you have too much homework. What about your teachers? are they nice? and how's Johanne doing? is it true he only gets one hour of sleep a night? That's crazy I need at least ten to even f̶u̶n̶c̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶p̶r̶o̶p̶p̶ ̶p̶r̶o̶p̶e̶r̶l̶e̶y̶ ̶p̶r̶o̶p̶e̶r̶l̶y̶,̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶g̶e̶t̶ ̶i̶t̶!̶ stay awake in the afternoons. and you always wondered why I fell asleep in class all the time. I cant believe your coming home this time for the break, hehe. Your always so busy studying that I havent seen you for 8 months! 8 h̶o̶l̶e̶ whole, long, booooring months! So your actually coming to see me_ _p̶a̶r̶t̶i̶c̶a̶p̶a̶i̶t̶t compete! Im going to beat 'em all Yukio just watch! Ill make dad proud! Ive been practicing real hard and Im super confident! Im all fired up and ready to go! Shura's been showing me all kinds of cool tricks too! Im sure to win. Just the other day I actually gave Egyn the what-for when I jacked his wave! Can you believe it?! You shouldve seen his face it was priceless! Everyone else was shocked too! You better hurry up or Im going to surf all the good waves without you! You are getting back in the water again right? I mean I know you don't like the water but still. You cant avoid it forever._

 _PS: I bet dad's really proud of you now._

 _\- Rin._

"Oi, teach?" Yukio snapped out of his daze of reading the letter from his brother and absentmindedly tried to understand why his friends had given him the nickname 'teach.' Yukio had thought about it before, and came to a possible conclusion that perhaps it was short for 'teacher's pet.' He technically was the favorite in all of classes. "We're supposed to be there at one o'clock, right?"

"Yes." Yukio answered with uncertainty tainting his voice. "Why?"

"Hurry up, we've gotta go!" Suguro exclaimed, pulling his own suitcase to the floor with a loud _thunk!_ "We have ten minutes to be at the train station!"

Yukio didn't spend anymore time chatting, hooked the surfboard keychain onto his suitcase, and rapidly followed Suguro out of the dorm - Yukio was sure to lock the door it in case of emergency. The students hurriedly sped out the door. The trip to train station was short, thankfully, and they managed to catch their friends before the train left. They both took a few minutes to catch their breaths, however Izumo Kamiki didn't miss a beat.

"You guys sure took your sweet time." She commented. "I almost convinced the conductor to leave without you two."

"Shut it... Kamiki..." Suguro heaved, then plopped down on the seat next to Yukio, who had taken a seat prior. As Suguro and Kamiki bickered meaninglessly, Yukio smiled in a rather satisfactory manner. He looked out the window as the dimly lit tunnel from the subway station changed to a bright, blue sky. He leaned onto his hand, feeling a sort of content wash over him. Today, despite having to go home and deal with Rin, had been a good day. He just hoped it would stay that way.

 _Brother... looks like I'm finally coming home._


	3. Arrival

**A/N:**

 **Hails: Sorry if this is late. I'm not very good at reasonable, consistent updates. I'm more sporadic and I write when I feel like it. Anyhow, with that out of the way-**

 **Be sure to leave a review, all feedback is appreciated, and I will take it into consideration.**

 **AS A SPECIAL QUESTION: do you guys want a pairing for this story? There's a poll on my page if you want to answer.**

 **Originally, I was going to make it so that this story had no pairings, because I know how annoying pairings get after a while.**

 **(Tip: Most stories are usually better without.)**

* * *

The train glided among the tracks gracefully and smoothly, moving at a comfortable hundred miles an hour. Southern True Cross was quite the distance from the academy, about two hundred miles. So it could possibly be a solid two hour trip. Not that Yukio minded, as he occupied himself with the scenery like he had on his way to the school.

He recalled the day Rin refused to let him go to True Cross Academy, or at least his older brother had tried desperately through any means necessary. From turning Yukio's alarm clock off, to hindering his movements in the morning, and even attempting to get him in the water for one last wave before he had to go.

Ultimately his attempts were futile, and Yukio succeeded anyway. Rin looked so filled with sorrow when Yukio had to leave, almost like he was about to cry. The guilt swelled in Yukio's chest, and he forced it down as he recollected his memories.

The younger twin could still remember the moment as if it were yesterday.

* * *

 _Yukio clutched his ticket, hanging onto his suitcase full of the clothes he couldn't fit into a box. Although he preferred it that way. It gave him something to occupy his hands with. He gripped the suitcase's handle until his knuckles turned white. He'd claimed he had made up his mind six months ago when he sent in application and took the entrance exam. The headmaster, Johanne Faust, whom Yukio happened to know well thanks to his father, had gladly accepted him into the academy with open arms, stating that-_

 _'Of course you can go True Cross Academy. Only the best school for the perfect student!"_

 _He swallowed the growing lump in his throat, and tried not to imagine what his father would say, his brother's broken expression, or even Shura's once in a lifetime - approving - smile. It hurt to leave, but it hurt more to stay. He couldn't continue living the way he had been; inside his house, laboring through his homework, making only necessary smalltalk at school when it was needed, desperately attempting to shut out every reminder of his father. Not once did he protest when Rin decided to go surfing again._

 _Y_ _ukio's mask was slowly cracking, and he felt the jealousy of his brother prevailing through the slog of depression seep through the thin chinks. That's why he decided to leave. It was better than going through a mad catharsis of emotions, or so he thought. He couldn't feel hurt if everything he saw led to more heartache. So a change of scenery is exactly was he felt he needed._

 _The grey clouds above Yukio thundered, and the wind whistled angrily as if warning Yukio that if he took another step towards the train that would soon be pulling in, he'd deeply regret it. Well, he'd regret it if he left and he'd regret it he stayed; so why not just leave and get it over with if he was going to wallow in remorse either way? Besides, going to True Cross Academy was his only option. He was far too overqualified for any school in the area._

 _"So, you're actually leaving?"_

 _Yukio felt a sharp intake of breath shoot into his esophagus. He turned his head slowly, turquoise eyes meeting an ocean of blue. Rin stood before Yukio, dressed in something appropriate for the gloomy weather - despite the capri blue t-shirt. He donned a pair of grey jeans, a chain linked between one of the front belt loops and back ones for Rin's more punk-like appearance. He also sported his favorite red boots._

 _"Rin. I thought you weren't coming." Yukio implied the moments before when Rin had been yelling and screaming. He had been so angry, and Yukio hated that expression upon his elder twin's face. Despised that mix of hurt and rage swirling in a dark aura around Rin. He had never seen his brother so angry, and he didn't ever want to see it again._

 _ **"Fine. You've got a train to catch in an hour, don't you? Better get going."**_

 _ **"...Brother..."**_

 _ **"Don't you 'brother' me. If you want to leave so badly then just GO!"**_

 _"I wasn't going to." Rin's gaze shifted from Yukio's questioning face to the suitcase the younger twin held onto. "But, uh... Nagatomo said I should. Told me I'd regret it if I didn't. I figured he was right, so I came to say goodbye."_

 _"Rin..."_

 _Before another word could leave Yukio's mouth, Rin shot forward, tackling Yukio in a crushing hug. The wind whooshed out Yukio's lungs, and it took a moment for him to register that Rin's arms were wrapped around his midriff tightly. Rin's face was buried in the once neat TCA uniform Yukio wore. Rin, after all, despite being older, was also the shorter twin. Their father had said he had obtained the smaller stature genetics from his mother._

 _"Please don't leave..." Rin sobbed. It took Yukio a moment to counter._

 _"I have to, Rin. I can't stay here any longer." Yukio claimed. "It just hurts too much."_

 _"I know." Rin said, his shoulders racking with choked cries. "I just can't lose you too. I don't know how long it'll be until I see you again." Yukio felt his breath catch in his throat as he proceeded to return Rin's meaningful hug. "I mean, it doesn't have to hurt, if you just-"_

 _"I know, Rin." Yukio stopped his brother from continuing that sentence. He gently pried Rin's arms from around his back, and pushed him away so he could get a better look. Rin didn't have any tears streaming down his face, or big wet eyes, but he looked heartbroken, like the day Shiro Fujimoto had died. Yukio felt a sore pang of guilt run through him. "But not yet. Maybe when I'm a little older, and a little wiser. Just, not now."_

 _Rin sniffed, arms falling to his sides._

 _"Okay." Rin finally answered after a moment of silence. "Just, remember to write. Won't you?"_

 _Yukio smiled, ruffling his brother's hair._

 _"Of course I will."_

 _There was more brotherly love as Rin and Yukio bickered light heartedly over who the elder twin really was. By the end of it, Rin was smiling. The train had pulled into the station, and Yukio was getting ready to board it. With a large grin on his face, Rin waved enthusiastically to his brother, who decided to pick a spot where he could see Rin while he was leaving._

 _Inside the warm train, Yukio smiled, waving back to his brother something small. Though for a moment, when Rin had stopped waving, Yukio could have sworn that..._

 _Rin was crying._

* * *

"Whoa! Look, there's the beach!"

Yukio snapped out of his sudden flashback. The sky wasn't cloudy and gloomy, it hadn't started raining. The exact opposite in fact. The day held up the brightest sun Yukio had seen in a while, allowing the beach to show off it's white sands and bluest ocean. Yukio joined his classmates on the other side of the train, who were in awe over such a spectacular sight.

"Wow, Yuki!" Shiemi exclaimed, pressing her palms against the glass. "You got to live here? It's so beautiful!"

"You're really fortunate, Okumura." Konekomaru commented, choosing a more reserved posture, but still allowing himself to look reverential. "I've never seen water this blue. It's amazing!"

"Yeah, I guess it is." Yukio replied. "Maybe that's why my father loved this place so much."

 _"Afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, this is the conductor speaking. If you all haven't already seen the Southern True Cross' sandy beaches off to the right, then feel free to catch a glimpse. However, I ask that pretty soon here, you all take a seat, as we'll be pulling into Southern True Cross Station shortly. Thank you."_

The students followed orders and found a reasonable place to sit as the train slowed seamlessly to a fluid stop. Once the train stopped it's motion altogether, each student stood, and dragged their suitcases out to open air. The station had a natural feel to it, as it was in an outdoors environment. The area was bathed in golden sunlight and gorgeous, blooming flowers exuded sweet fragrances. The air tasted fresh on the tongues of the new arrivals; the oxygen managed to sate the need for raw, healthy air.

Yukio scuffed his shoes against the old-fashioned brick ground. He'd never say it aloud, but despite the pain, he missed this place. He gazed around the station, looking for anyone he knew. His eyes swept over multiple people, until locating a particular, smiling man wearing a black cossack in the searing heat. He had curly, brown hair and dark eyes. His stature was tall, but slack. He waved to Yukio, getting his attention almost instantly.

"Hey, Yukio!" He exclaimed.

The said boy began making his way over to the priest, Nagatomo, with a special urgency. It wasn't until Yukio had gotten closer that he noticed two young men, both in their twenties, flanking Nagatomo's side. The one who appeared to be older had black hair and brown eyes, while the younger, who held a slight facial resemblance to the elder - Yukio supposed they were brothers - was almost the opposite with his blonde hair and green-blue eyes. Both of them were muscular - the blonde shirtless, while the darker haired man wore a short-sleeved jacket that left his abdomen exposed. They wore shorts and sandals, and they had clearly been out in the sun, resulting in their tan skin.

"Hello Father Nagatomo." Yukio greeted the priest. The cleric gave Yukio a genuine smile before cautiously pulling the teenager into a tender hug.

"Jeez, Yukio." Nagatomo returned mellowly. "You don't need to use formal honorifics, we're friends. I don't mind if you're a little more casual."

Yukio's eyes widened a bit as he faintly remembered how kind Nagatomo's personality is. He supposed this is why Rin and Yukio enjoyed being around this particular preacher the most in the past. Nagatomo could be serious in a parent-like matter if need be, but he was also fun and kind and generally well behaved. He was also trusted with the Okumura brothers' safety, which he gratefully accepted from Shiro before he died.

"So, this is the boy you were talking about?" The blonde man asked, leaning forward to get a better look at Yukio. The teenager glanced over to man, wondering where he had seen him before. He seemed vaguely familiar in appearance; his mischievous eyes twinkled, his smile pulled up smugly. Then it occurred to Yukio who these two must be. The tan skin and muscles gave off the athletic impression, then Yukio noted the damp hair, and that they smelled faintly of sea salt.

"You must be Juuzou and Kinzou Shima." Yukio inferred. "Renzo's brothers, am I correct?"

The black haired man, now named Juuzou, burst out laughing.

"You were right, Father Nagatomo." The young surfer clapped a hand onto the clergyman's shoulder. "He _is_ smart!"

"Well, I'd be disappointed otherwise." Nagatomo grinned. "There's a reason he got into True Cross Academy."

Everyone seemed to feeling rather jovial, as they were laughing and joking. Yukio on the other hand wasn't feeling the joy, and would rather go back to TCA at this point. _Too bad..._ he reminded himself for the hundredth time that day. _There's no getting out of it, you promised._ So Yukio stuck it out, even when he found out that Nagatomo had invited the academy students, as well as Juuzou and Kinzou, to stay at the Southern True Cross Monastery for Spring Break.

Yukio remained silent for the walk to the monastery. Considering it was short and close to the beach, walking to the building in which they'd be living for the next week seemed like a good idea. Walking instead of driving was healthier in the long run too. No arguments were made, and instead everyone made small talk. Renzo had the unfortunate event occur in which his older brothers continued putting him in a headlock and pinching his nose for the sake of family. Yukio found he could relate, as Rin had done that to him far too many times to count.

Rin and Yukio. They no doubt were close. Closer than any pair of twins True Cross beach had seen.

* * *

Izumi felt a chill run up his spine, and flinched. He froze almost immediately, then slowly proceeded to place the hot tray of macadamia nut cookies onto the island in the middle of the small kitchenette in the Okumura's house. The young teenagers had inherited the house from Fujimoto after his untimely death, but were, however, far too young to own a house just yet. So, the clergymen at the monastery, as well as Shura from time to time, would take shifts babysitting the young men. Rin and Yukio were old enough to stay by themselves for a few hours, but paying the bills that went with the small house was out of the question. Until they were both eighteen, old enough to live in their house, despite Rin's protests, they had a babysitter.

After Yukio left Rin had gone out of the house more frequently, hoping to avoid old memories. He'd do God knows what; running into trouble, getting into fights, ditching school to go surfing. Bad habits he picked up once his brother disappeared from Rin's life. Izumi had noticed recently for the past month, though, that Rin would stay in the house and behave more often. Izumi wasn't sure why, but he felt that the reason had to do with Yukio coming home soon.

Honestly, you think he wouldn't have noticed how much more chaotic it got around the house once Yukio left for True Cross Academy. Usually it was calmer when Yukio had been home, considering he was there to stop Rin whenever he thought up one of his juvenile schemes at the time. But since Yukio wasn't here anymore to stop Rin's antics if they ever got out of hand, well... it only resulted in multiple screams of "ANARCHY!" around the house.

This resulted in Izumi's overly wary attitude whenever he and Rin were alone in the house together. Thus why the preacher had gone completely still. He looked towards the ladder in the far corner, which went up to the twins' room. The struggle of feet trying to get away sounded near the old, wooden stairs that was the gateway to the second floor. There was light shuffling on the other end of the island, and Izumi grimaced. Without so much as a sigh, he reached over and smacked away a hand reaching for a cookie. There was a childish yelp, and then Izumi started talking.

"Nice try, but I caught you red-handed." Izumi placed his hands on hips. He swore, especially being the youngest of the preachers, that he always aged a few years whenever Rin was around. "Come out, you can't hide you little sneak."

A teenager popped up from behind the counter with wide blue eyes.

"But Izumiiiiiii~" Rin pleaded. He walked over into the light so that Izumi could see him better. He was sporting a dark wetsuit, something he wore almost never. It was sleeveless, which exposed the muscular biceps Rin had gained in his years of practice. The cover stopped just below Rin's knees. It had patches of blue on the collarbone and thighs. "It's just one cookie."

"The answer is still 'no.'" Izumi said, prepared to protect the pastries. "Those are for after dinner, when Yukio gets here. Even if it's just one cookie, I know you'll ask for more; and you don't want to eat all of them. You'll spoil your appetite, and then your brother won't get any. Besides, it's the beginning of the surf season, when the waves are strongest. You don't want to put on weight."

"I won't put on weight from one cookie." Rin claimed, jabbing a finger in Izumi's direction.

"You're still not getting one." Before Rin could plead anymore, Izumi continued. "Why are you really here, Rin?"

"Oh, I'm looking for my surfboard. It wasn't outside where it usually is." Rin explained. "Did you move it?"

"Yeah, I moved it. It's over in the corner by your bedroom."

"Thanks, Izumi!" Rin exclaimed, bounding over to the black surfboard, which had an intricate blue fire design dancing across the shimmering surface – A gift to Rin on his thirteenth birthday. Rin treasured that board when it was given to him, and the recollection of Rin's excited face when he got it. The priest turned away and began working on the dishes in the sink, and he listened for pounding footsteps of Rin's sandals slapping the hardwood floor. There was the sound of a surfboard being moved, and Rin padding back over to the clear, sliding door. The door moved lithely on the track, and Rin stepped out.

"Have a nice day, Rin." Izumi said, and the teenager wished the same return. Rin was already half way out the door when he paused momentarily.

"Oh, and Izumi?" Rin poked his head back into the house for a moment, then waved a flat, circular pastry in front of his own face. "Thanks for the cookie."

Rin was gone before Izumi could comprehend what had happened. He paused, looking at the soapy, earthenware plate in his hands. Then he turned and stared at where a smiling Rin was once standing, waving a cookie in front him tauntingly. He glanced over at the malleable, metal sheet, realizing that instead of a dozen cookies, there was one missing. Izumi noted this, and scowled.

 _That little runt-_

Izumi pulled the breaks on his train of thought, then his lips pulled into a grateful smile.

 _I haven't seen Rin this happy in a long time. I know he was heartbroken when Yukio had to leave, so it's nice to see him positively reinforcing himself._

 _Keep smiling, Rin. I don't ever want to see you sad like that ever again._

* * *

 _Rin watched in a tormented, silent agony as the train carried Yukio away from his home, as it took what little family Rin had left away from him. He stopped waving, hand falling to his side. He felt the tears welling up in his eyes, and forcefully wiped them away. His once satisfied grin changed to a frown, and he was left standing in the cold, harsh winds. He knew it might start raining later, but he didn't really care. He just wanted his brother back._

 _Rin only had one desire; and that was to have Yukio at his side._

 _The young boy wasn't sure how long he stood there. But he didn't move, not even when he felt the first, fresh drop of water fall onto his head. He didn't move in inch when more rain started cascading from the clouds. He didn't bother to make a sound when he heard the_ plink! Plink! Plink! _fall around him apathetically. The rain soaked his hair and clothes, and chilled him to the bone. Not that reacted to the goosebumps on his arms. The bangs of his dark hair were dripping with water, causing them to grow heavy on Rin's head. They shadowed his face, hiding his eyes - his depressed, sparkless eyes from the world._

 _Sometimes, he wasn't sure if the water running down his face were his tears, or mother nature's tears._

 _Then the rain stopped. It stopped hitting him. It continued to pour around him, but never on him. He glanced up to find a dark cover shielding him from cold, wet weather. There, Nagatomo stood, holding an umbrella over Rin's slouched figure._

 _"Rin, are you alright?" The priest asked. He placed a warm, calloused hand on Rin's shoulder, causing the teenager to shiver. The feel of Nagatomo's hand... why did it suddenly remind him of his father's compassionate, yet firm hold?_

 _"Nagatomo..." Rin muttered. "Did I do good? Was that all right?"_

 _Nagatomo smiled, then wrapped his entire arm around Rin, leading him away from the train station. The younger boy subconsciously clung to Nagatomo's robes. They began descending down the slippery, soaked, stone steps which would take them back to the Southern True Cross Monastery._

 _"That'll do, Rin." Nagatomo answered. "That'll do."_

* * *

Shiemi craned her neck to stare at the tall monastery which towered over the seven teenagers, then to Paku and Kamiki's behind her. Kamiki only grimaced in return, but Paku sent her a reassuring smile. This helped to boost Shiemi's confidence a bit, and she quickly followed the boys into the building in which they'd be living in for the next week or so. Regardless of the old and worn exterior of the peaceful place, Shiemi almost felt at home inside. It was warmly lit and a soothing tranquility washed her, filling her with a genuine, sweet love. She breathed in the still air, picking up the scent of incense and something else with an unfamiliar, but saccharine and welcoming smell.

"Alright, there are two extra adjoined guest rooms on either side of the monastery that are about ten tatami mats area-wise." Nagatomo explained. "They should each be big enough to house three people each. Since I figure Yukio will want to stay with his brother in the house they inherited from their father, I didn't really think about preparing a spot for him. Is that alright, Yukio? I can help you move your stuff over to the house when your ready."

"That's alright, Nagatomo." Yukio thanked the priest graciously. "Thank you for your consideration, but I can handle it. It's not too far of a walk from here."

Nagatomo nodded.

"Good, then that will make this situation much easier." Nagatomo continued to rattle off instructions. "Connected to your rooms should be a bathroom where you can keep your cosmetics and do your business. See those stairs?" Nagatomo questioned, pointing to a set of stairs almost completely hidden from view. They seemed to lead up to a second floor, which contained a catwalk that separated the actual furnished housing from the holy monastery. "Those lead up to a couple more guest rooms where Juuzou and Kinzou are staying, as well as Kouzou."

"Big brother Kouzou is here?" Renzo asked excitedly.

"That's right, little bro." Juuzou answered as Renzo cheered excitedly.

"Is anyone else here?" Renzo asked.

"No. Sorry, Renzo." Kinzou said apologetically. "Hiriko and Kishiko couldn't come. You know what business our sisters have to deal with. They had to stay at the temple."

"I wouldn't worry about that though, my fiancé is here." Juuzou joked sheepishly, eliciting an irritated groan from the youngest Shima brother.

"The Hojo sisters are here?" Suguro asked.

"That's a pleasant surprise." Konekomaru commented, adjusting his glassed with his lips upturned contentedly.

"I wouldn't call that pleasant, Neko." Shima grumbled.

"Okay!" Nagatomo interrupted. "Since Rin is probably out practicing, and he won't be back until later tonight, chances are you won't get to meet him until tomorrow. If this is the case, I'd recommend you all get settled into your rooms, and then go explore. There's a reptile exhibit here in town for a couple days if you want to go check that out, or if your ready for the beach you can go down there. They have a night market that opens once the sun sets if you all want to go check that out. Or if you want quality entertainment, you can all spy on the crazy cat lady up the street. I wouldn't recommend it though, she's got the eye of a hawk. With that out of the way, since the priests here are responsible for your safety and comfort, I'm going to set a couple ground rules for all you young people."

No one protested, which was a sign to keep going in Nagatomo's mind.

"Rule one; I don't want any one of you out later than midnight. You have no idea what happens on these streets at night." Nagatomo began. "Rule two; dinner is made here at the monastery every night at seven o'clock if not just a minute later. You can come join us, but once the clock hits 8:30, dinner is over and you'll have to find something else to eat. Rule three; stay in groups of at least three. I'd recommend you all stay together, or the girls stay with the girls and the guys with guys. Feel free to mix it up, I don't care. But you MUST have at least three people per group." Nagatomo caught Izumo's disapproving gaze, then went on. "Lastly, your wellbeing is our number one priority. If one of you gets in trouble or is injured to an extent beyond your level of first-aid, please seek one of us, or the elder Shima brothers out for help. That is all."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Hails: F** **air warning if you haven't already figured it out. Yes, there will be a TON of flashbacks. I like to explore stuff while I'm writing. This is kind of one of my futile attempts at planning as I go along.**

 **One more thing. Kouzou, Hiriko, and Kishiko are indeed Ocs. Renzo has an unnamed brother and two unnamed sisters, it says so on his wiki page.**


	4. Boardwalk

**A/N:**

 **Hails: OH MY GOSH IT'S FINALLY DONE.**

 **Also, poll is still up for pairings! If I don't get too many voters I'll just do no pairing at all. Mental note: The second vote for NO PAIRINGS doesn't count because I didn't know I could vote on my own polls. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)** **This information is extremely valuable.**

 **One more thing! The thing about Red Tide. I just bull crapped my way through that. There is honestly no way to predict Red Tide's patterns. I had to put it in this story. You'll understand later in this chapter.** **Besides... it's a fanfiction. What'd you expect?**

 **On further note, ALL feedback is appreciated and I would love a review so I know how to improve my writing. Saankyu~**

* * *

Shiemi edged along the thin crowd of "ooh"ing and "ah"ing people, deciding only to get close enough to get a brief peek of the glittering reptiles in the dark building. The place she currently held her position in was known as the temporary operating base of the Reptile House, an exhibit open to specific areas of Japan at certain times. Basically, a traveling zoo filled with only reptilian animals.

The group of seven teenagers decided to stick together to explore simply because it was easier than splitting up. They all decided on the reptile exhibition a few blocks away because it was close to both the Monastery and the Night Market they intended to visit when the sun set far enough below the ocean that it opened.

Unfortunately after the rules had been set, Kyodo, another one of the priests in the monastery, marked the beach off-limits to specifically those seven teenagers. Turned out that the phenomenal, blooming Red Tide was still wearing off, and the priests didn't want to see the students get sick if they accidentally swallowed ocean water with the unhealthy dinoflagellates floating around.

Although the students hadn't seemed too disappointed since the preliminary round of the Akuma Kahakai surfing competition wasn't until tomorrow, which is when they predicted Red Tide to disperse. And when it came to meeting Rin, Yukio hadn't said a word. Instead Shiemi looked once, twice, then assumed that he was pleasantly surprised. Though she had no idea why.

Remembering the rules, she poked her head up from examining a color changing lizard (a chameleon she'd heard) to count the friends she could see. When she was assured that the other six were still nearby, she joined with Kamiki and Paku who were, from a distance, observing a type of deadly snake. Thankfully behind the barrier of a glass enclosure.

"What kind of snake is that?" Kamiki sneered, rearing back in disgust. She had never been fond of snakes.

Shiemi took a moment to read the plaque which told the name and gave a description of the black, wound serpent.

"A Black Mamba?" Shiemi wondered aloud. Kamiki grimaced and Paku tried not to look horrified at the sudden revelation. Shiemi continued to investigate the reptile, which began to coil back in anticipation with actions similar to that of a spring. Shiemi yelped in surprise when the snake struck the glass, emitting a loud _bang!_ Startled, she stumbled backwards, accidentally ramming into someone. That someone being Yukio.

"Shiemi?" Yukio queried, surprised with the sudden force. "Are you okay?"

He helped her get upright, and absentmindedly listened to Kamiki and Paku giggle about her sudden scare. Shiemi didn't seem to notice, but instead was blushing furiously at the way her precious Yuki was holding her shoulders steadily, and making eye contact with genuinely concerned eyes.

"Y-yes." She stuttered, feeling her cheeks flush the color of a ripe tomato. "I'm alright. Just, surprised is all."

Yukio seemed consoled, and then stood up straight with a gentle smile. He put his hands on his hips in a manner that was slightly feminine, Shiemi noticed, and began speaking once he confirmed that Shiemi was, overall, stable.

"That's a relief." He said calmly. "I guess all the reptiles in here are giving everyone some unwanted jitters. I know the feeling, I've never been too keen on reptiles."

Shiemi hummed in agreement.

"I understand how that feels." She continued. "I don't mind the grass snakes in my garden whenever they come around. But these are a little, excessive to my taste."

"Well, we should be finished looking in maybe, another half hour." Yukio pointed out, before adjusting his glasses to sweep the area as he did a head count. "I'm sure we'll all get bored of this sooner or later." He glanced at his watch. "It's only 4:00. I'm sure once we're finished here we could go to the boardwalk, and they have a ferris wheel over to the west. If that sounds appealing, maybe we could take the entire group over there? It's rather entertaining if you ask me."

"Sure!" Shiemi bobbed her head, her cheeks going a soft, baby pink. "That sounds fun, Yuki! I'd love to."

On the far end of Reptile House, the Kyoto trio were observing inconspicuously as Yukio and Shiemi chatted quietly about the boardwalk. Each of them smiled knowingly as they eyed the the pair who were talking to each other. Each of them, prior to noticing the duo's closest relationship as 'best friend' status, had been observing a nest of beginner snakes that would be good for pet owners – Corn snake, California King Snake, and a Ball Python. ("I think I suddenly understand why the Hojo sisters like anything serpentine now." Suguro had commented.) Shima, who happened to have a Rosy Boa (whose name happened to be Jabber) wrapped around his arm, was the first to speak.

"Those two. They aren't fooling anyone."

* * *

The group of TCA teenagers walked leisurely along the boardwalk, sandals and tennis shoes padding roughly against the pier which stretched out about a mile. Yukio had combined with the Kyoto trio, while Shiemi made small talk with Paku and a reluctant Kamiki. They passed by multiple games, which contained a mix of people who were both smiling and cheering and scowling with loss.

The seven glanced around, only exploring along the walkway. For a while, Yukio had begun to feel like a tour guide to his beloved hometown. Up until the sun could be seen on the other side of the sky, they finally figured they should start wrapping up their fun pretty soon. By that time, almost 8:00, they were eating hot fudge sundaes as a snack, and had won several small prizes at games like spilled milk, hole-in-1, and balloon darts.

Suguro had won a twin pair of White Foxes in basketball hoops, and decisively gave them to Paku ("Aw, thanks.") and Kamiki ("It's not like I wanted a White Fox, but I'll it take one anyway. Because it IS kind of cute."). Of course, Miwa had a plush Nekotama in his arms after a game of nerves-o-steel, which he won fair and square. Though Yukio had kindly pointed out that his brother had a similar one at home ("Rin was surprisingly good at nerves-o-steel. When he was six-years old he won a plush cat sith which he still has to this day.") Overall, things were looking up, and each one was thoroughly enjoying themselves.

"Hey, what's that game?" Shima asked elatedly, pointing to a sign that read out with all capital, colorful letters **CORK GUN SHOOT**. Yukio jumped in to explain another part of his hometown's highly engaged boardwalk, which was only a small part of surprisingly large, but little known town. Underneath the bold, neon sign the prize key was posted.

 _ **1 Ball ... Small Prize**  
 **2 Balls ... Medium Prize**  
 **3 Balls ... Large Prize**  
_

"That?" Yukio began, leading the group over to the booth, which had a rather seedy, young operator. "It's a game that is seldom won when played. It's ¥300 for three shots, and you have to aim the cork gun at the ping pong balls, which are on top of the bottles." He gestured out in front of him to the display of different size and shape bottles, which in accordance with Yukio's explanation, had shoddily balanced, milky white ping pong balls sitting on top of them. "It's one of the few carnival games that's not rigged, and you have to use your own skill to knock them off. Of course, that's why it's so hard. The targets are small, so of course, it's difficult to win."

"Oh, surely it can't be that hard." Shima said in a cocky manner. He pulled three ¥100 bills from his wallet, and placed them on the counter. The operator, as he flipped a switch, muttered a scratchy "begin." Shima complied, closed one eye, and shot three times in a row with five second intervals in between each fire. Ultimately, none of the ping pong balls had left their perch, and were still standing. Shima rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Well, I guess I'm not as good as I thought."

Yukio smiled in a manner that screamed 'I told you so.' Shima didn't seem to get the hint. But before he could try again, Yukio tapped him on the shoulder.

"Mind if I try?" He asked. ¥300 was already in his hand, causing Shima to move away. Yukio paid the operator, then took the toy, cork shotgun in hands. He waited for the croaky "begin" and instead of shooting first, Yukio relaxed; he rolled his shoulders, and took in then released a deep breath. He raised the butt of the gun to his shoulder, and remembered the most important rule of shooting firearms. _Remember, Yukio. Keep both eyes open._ Then... Yukio fired; once, twice, three times with only two second intervals in between each reload. The gun sounded with a satisfying _pop!_ each time it went off, vaguely reminding Yukio of the shooting range his father would take him to when he was much, much younger.

When Yukio looked up from his shots fired, he knew exactly what to expect. All three ping pong balls had fallen off the bottles... meaning he had won a large prize. He turned to Shima – who had gone slack jawed – with a self-satisfied smirk. The teenage operator unhooked a fifty centimeter Greenman from it's position, then gave it to Yukio with a slightly impressed look in his eyes. Yukio in turn only took a few seconds, and decided. He instantly gave the plush to Shiemi, who squealed with delight.

"Aw, thank you, Yuki!" She exclaimed. Shiemi threw herself at Yukio, wrapping him in a tight hug; the Greenman squished between them. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she caught a glimpse of Yukio's watch (8:20) and almost screamed when she saw that the sun was no longer visible; the sky had finally turned a dark, periwinkle. The first star began shining in the sky. "Hey, it's getting late. The night market's going to be opening soon, right?"

"That's correct." Yukio answered, now leading everyone in a different direction. "But we'll have plenty of time to check that out later. In the meantime, I was hoping to show you guys the ferris wheel." Yukio pointed into the distance, where a brilliantly lit sphere was slowly spinning. "To celebrate the beginning of the Akuma Kahakai surfing competition, there's supposed to be something awe-inspiring happening. I want to show you guys."

The walk to the ferris wheel was short, only five minutes at most. Luckily, the line to the ferris wheel wasn't that long either. The operator, a female, was the charge of the ferris wheel. She gave the group of seven a quick look over, then began talking.

"Alright, since each cart holds about three people max," she explained. "we can split you up three, two, two. Sounds good?" A chorus of agreements allowed the operator to get started. She aided the Kyoto trio into the first car, and they slowly ascended into the sky, followed by Paku and Kamiki. The last pair to go was Yukio and Shiemi. They rose higher into the nightly atmosphere, and didn't stop until they reached the very top. Since they had stepped on the ride though, Shiemi took to attention how often Yukio's eyes kept flicking to his watch.

"Yuki?" She queried. "Why do you keep looking at your watch?"

"That's a secret." Yukio said mysteriously. "Hang on. Five... four... three... two..."

A sharp, shrill whistle pierced the air, causing Shiemi to flinch. It was soon followed by a detonation of light, then suit came a deafening _**BOOM!**_ causing Shiemi to jump, clutching the plush Greenman in her arms tightly. Soon, magenta and green and blue were exploding across the sky, with extra whistles and fizzes to make it the more beautiful. Each chemically reacting crackle and explosion caused Shiemi to bounce and fidget in her seat with a goofy grin; giggles erupting from her mouth. She cooed and laughed at the sight.

"Wow. They're beautiful." Shiemi exclaimed. She shot a long, nostalgic look at the highest point of Southern True Cross Town. "I'd seen them from my house before, but never this close. It's amazing."

"Ah, that's right." Yukio recalled. "You used to live in Southern True Cross too."

Shiemi bobbed her head in confirmation.

"Yes, that's correct." She affirmed. "I used to always stay inside my home. I was always too sick to leave or go to school or even go somewhere fun. The only time I could leave was when I'd go work in Ms. Yusa's garden. I remember, she always had the most beautiful flowers."

Yukio got a wistful expression on his face as he recollected the nostalgia of his best friend's past. _I remember now. Shiemi and I first met when she was tending to Ms. Yusa's garden, which at the time she was being paid for so the Moriyama family could help their income and keep the shop open. Whenever Shiemi wasn't servicing her grandmother's garden up in her own house, she was laboring in Ms. Yusa's. With my help, she usually finished early, and then I'd tutor her with the subjects I learned in school. I used to enjoy going to see her everyday after school and evading Rin's questioning on where I was going. Then came the day I asked her to attend TCA with me._

After fifteen minutes of watching the spectacular light snow, Shiemi settled down. The ferris wheel soon continued in its merry cycle of raising the couple up into the sky, and lowering them down near the ground. Each time they descended and soared, they were filled them with an odd, buzzy feeling. With the Greenman still tucked tight in her arms, Shiemi leaned against Yukio's arm, and whispered:

"Thank you... Yuki."

* * *

 _"We have to be especially careful with Ms. Yusa's Snow-on-the-Mountain carnations because of their lack of color," Shiemi explained, gesturing to the flower cupped in her hands which was a brilliant, snowy white. "which means they might stain easily if we get anything on them, like dirt or mud. So we can't afford not to be gentle."_

 _A fourteen-year old Yukio nodded his head in understanding, cautiously letting the frilly carnation slide into his hands. He almost gulped in a nervous fit, and helped Shiemi fit each astonishingly beautiful flower into each hole she had dug. He listened intently as she explained how her grandmother had taught her how to take care of the multiple species of carnations – from Moondust to Red Ruffles._

 _Yukio found himself surprisingly captivated in botany and pharmaceuticals. He'd always wanted to be doctor, which was why he planned on attending True Cross Academy. Although as his mind drifted to True Cross Academy, he couldn't help but think about how lonely he'd be without her; how lonely she might be without him. She had said it herself. Yukio was Shiemi's first friend. How long had he been procrastinating telling her that he was leaving? How long had he been putting off telling Rin that he was taking the entrance exam in a month and that he knew he was going to be accepted?_

 _Yukio couldn't just let Shiemi babble on about flowers any longer when he had to tell his best friend that he was leaving. He knew he'd have to tell her about it, and hopefully, he could work up the courage to ask her about... to ask her if... He grit his teeth in frustration. **Just tell her already!**_

 _"Shiemi I have to tell you something!" He blurted out, causing her to flinch at the sudden outburst._

 _"Uh, what is it, Yuki?" She tilted her head in questioning._

 _"I'm leaving." He answered without a trace of subtlety in his voice._

 _"Leaving?" Shiemi green eyes went wide with fear. "But, Yuki-"_

 _"I know. I've been trying to tell you." Yukio cut her off. "But I'm going to take the entrance exam to True Cross Academy in a month, and I know I'm going to pass because I've been studying for a long time. It's just that I... that I..." Yukio felt his throat clog up when he saw Shiemi's heartbroken expression. Once again feeling that social frustration, he reached for Shiemi's hands and held them in his own, successfully ignoring her flushing red face. "You're just as smart as I am Shiemi, because I've been teaching you stuff from my honors courses at schools. So I thought maybe if I asked, will you..."_

 _"Will I... what?" Shiemi questioned._

 _"WouldYouGoToTrueCrossAcademyWithMe?!" He exclaimed, then realized how stupid he was being. He took a deep breath and restated his sentence. "I mean. If I helped you study, would you go to True Cross Academy with me? I've never been good at making friends, and I don't want to leave you alone. I'd feel horrible if I just went off to study by myself, and I want you to come. I mean, the entrance exam is approaching soon, yes, but I could help you if you want. So, will you go... with me? Since you're my friend and all, I figured I'd invite you."_

 _Shiemi hadn't said anything for a while. Yukio felt his spirits sink lower than the Dead Sea. **She... she's going to decline.**_

 _"Yes." Shiemi answered after the deafening silence. "Yes, I want to go to school with you."_

* * *

"Hey, monkey!" She called out, as Rin sat on the sandy beach a solid thirty feet away. Like usual, her fluffy pink hair was tied into a thick braid, her bright eyes gleamed mischievously, and she had a smug, self-centered look on her face. "Yer not gettin' cold feet are ya?" Her taunting did nothing to phase Rin, who was only tracing meaningless, random patterns in the sand, followed by a blue glow. Rin smirked in response to Shura's light teasing.

"Cold feet? Really Shura, have you even met me?" Rin stood up from the sand covered surface, placing his hands on his hips in a chastising manner. "Honestly, it's the last day red tide is gonna be around. Why would I miss this opportunity?"

"Well that's a relief." Shura commented, grinning. "I was hoping ya wouldn't chicken out. After all, it's yer turn."

Rin stood from the ground, a large smile now plastered over his face. He lifted his surf board from the ground, kicked off his sandals, and stalked over to black water that washed up on beach. The sun had long since set behind the ocean, allowing Rin and some old friends (Shura Kirigakure, Kishi Israel, and a couple others.) some night surfing, and, of course, friendly competition. The last of that list always seemed to happen, no matter how hard their group's local peacekeeper tried to prevent it so. Surf offs were common, and surprising trust influenced exercises.

"Finally." Rin groaned, stretching an arm over his head. "You guys have been showing off for so long you haven't even given me a chance to let loose."

"Hey, now's yer chance ya blue haired monkey!" Shura exclaimed. "So get yerself out there and show us some moves!"

"Alright, if you say so." Rin muttered. Before Shura could retaliate, he waded into the ocean, and pushed his board out until the waves voluntarily splashed his face. His mouth was clamped shut so he didn't swallow the unhealthy phytoplankton. Rin stretched his hand out into the water, as if testing the water for current flow. He stayed that way for a few moments, then sat up straight and turned his board around. He judged the size of the incoming wave for about ten seconds, then paddled forward until he felt the wave's current raising his altitude slightly. He pinpointed the exact seconds, then stood on his board, maneuvering it expertly until he was soaring across a blue, bioluminescent sea.

God, he loved surfing. Rin loved it with a burning passion. The chilled wind tangling his inky blue hair, stinging his face and body. The tingling sensation that tickled his nerves and made his breath hitch. His feet controlling the way the board steered, causing the ocean spray to mist over him. This always lead to him whooping and wailing excitedly, tears of adrenaline welling up at the speed as he cut the wave with his board's tail fins. He wouldn't give surfing up for anything in the world! Surfing was his passion, he'd die before he let anyone stop him from surfing. Ever since he began surfing when he was just a toddler, he refused to listen to anyone who told him 'no' if it were about surfing. If someone tried to prevent him, he'd sneak out and go at night anyway. He needed his epinephrine inducing surfing fix.

With jovial, blissful tears streaming down his cheeks, he reached over to the glowing blue waves, and skimmed his hand through the water. The lustrous, dazzling blue sea sprayed into the air, illuminating it with the ocean's beauty. He dared look behind him, and saw the water was lustrous with a brilliant azure. He dared believe, he dared use the words his father had to describe the ocean during red tide. As if it were on fire.

As if they were blue flames.

* * *

By the time everyone had finished at the night market, everyone was too exhausted to do anything else. They'd completely wiped themselves out with all the fun they'd had, that when they reached the monastery, all anybody wanted to do was fall down on their cots and sleep. The seven students lazily slogged their way into the monastery, grumbling about staying out so late. The priests and the elder Shima brothers seemed relieved to see them, considering it was nearing midnight.

Yukio bid each of his friends goodbye, including Shiemi, then turned to Nagatomo.

"Are we ready to go?" Yukio asked.

"Certainly." Nagatomo said, surprisingly cheery. "Izumi came over earlier today and he already took your stuff over to the house. There's not much I could've done to stop him. So, there's no use in complaining about it." Nagatomo added that last part upon seeing the scowl on Yukio's face. With a sigh, Nagatomo led Yukio out of the Monastery, and over to the house overlooking the ocean the twins had inherited from Shiro. When they managed to get inside, they found Izumi, asleep on the couch. "Ah, poor sap. Must've exhausted himself dealing with Rin today."

Yukio found that made a not-so-shocking amount of sense.

"Get ready for bed, Yukio." Nagatomo instructed. "Your stuff should already be in your room. You can unpack tomorrow. I'll wake up Izumi and send him home. I can wait for Rin myself." Upon seeing that Yukio wasn't moving, he spoke again. "Go on."

"Uh, right." Yukio said. "Good night, Nagatomo."

"Good night, Yukio."

Yukio found himself moving sluggishly through his house. He hadn't touched anything in his former living space for eight months. He could almost sense the sentimentality he felt for his home climbing on his back. He grabbed hold of the ladder in the corner, and climbed into the small bedroom he had shared with Rin all his life. Upon reaching the top, he climbed onto his bed, and started rifling through his suitcase for pajamas. He changed quickly, then shoved the suitcase to the end of the bed with all his might.

A soft mewling broke the silence, and Yukio looked up to find that he had woke Kuro, Shiro's pet cat, from his nightly slumber. The black-furred feline stared at Yukio curiously with big, green eyes, before losing interest and going back to sleep. Yukio sighed with relief, then took off his glasses to put them on a small shelf meant for holding things such as glasses or cups of water. It worked similarly to a shelf, except it was simply a wooden plank jutting out of the wall.

Forgetting about any usual hygiene processes – brushing teeth, combing hair, etc. – he crawled under the blankets and stretched out onto his pillow. Yukio took a moment to look up at the transparent ceiling of glass, which revealed the velvet black sky, peppered with twinkling stars. After his small bout with stargazing, he was at rest, and fell into a dark slumber.

* * *

"I'm home!"

"Shhhh... Jeez, Rin. Your brother is asleep. Don't be so loud."

Yukio woke to the sound of a door slamming and shouting 'tadaima!' at the top of his lungs. Yukio wanted to make a move to get up and greet his brother, but he saw the time on his watch (1:37) and decided he could wait to catch up with Rin in the morning. He shifted a little under the covers to get comfortable though.

"Whoops, sorry." He could hear Rin say that in a sheepish tone. "So, Yukio's here?"

"Yes, he's sleeping though. You'll want to get to bed too. Do you know how late it is?"

"Yeah, yeah. I get it. I don't need this lecture again."

"Then don't stay out so late."

"And what? Miss surfing red tide at midnight? Never. Besides, I gotta get myself all ramped up the prelims tomorrow!"

"By going night surfing?"

"Yes."

Nagatomo groaned.

"Whatever. Just get to bed. I'll be leaving in a little bit. Make sure you're up bright and early for the contest tomorrow. Registration starts at-"

"8:30. Yes, I know. You think I wouldn't take it upon myself to know when to be awake?"

"Yes."

"Wow. The lack of faith you have in my abilities upsets me."

"Whatever, Rin. Just get to bed. I don't want to scold you anymore than you already have been."

There was the sound of a door sliding open, and Nagatomo speaking again.

"The other priests and I will be there to cheer you on. Knock 'em dead, Rin. I know you're going to do great."

"Thanks Nagatomo. Good night."

"Good night, Rin."

There was the muffled sound of Rin's sandals plopping against the hardwood floor, said sandals being kicked off, and the ladder being climbed. There was a tired groan from Rin as he plopped down onto his bed on the opposite side of the room. Yukio continued pretending to be asleep.

"Urgh, I'm so tired." A quiet mew drew Rin's attention. Rin leaned over and scratched Kuro behind the ears, where the feline liked to be caressed. "Hey, Kuro. It's nice to see you," There was a pause that held the still air. Rin smiled something small. "and it's nice to see Yukio, too. Man, eight months? It feels like years. You know what I mean?" Kuro brushed up against Rin as if to say 'I understand.' "Jeez, I missed my little brother. I bet he's the most popular guy at school. I bet he's got straight A's and is an honor student. I hope he's got lots of friends, though. I don't want him to be lonely." There was another pause, then Rin shifting on his bed. "Hang on, Kuro. I gotta change out of my wetsuit. Don't peek."

Yukio almost got up to comment that Kuro wouldn't care if Rin were naked, since he was a cat and couldn't sustain romantic affection for a human being. Then again, Rin would still act childish and insist that Kuro still not look because it was 'embarrassing' to know someone was watching you while you were changing. Yukio heard the sound of Rin peeling off his wet suit and changing into a pair of his own pajamas – this usually consisted of sweatpants and a t-shirt. There was Rin groaning tiredly again, and Yukio figured Rin was stretching. There was covers being moved, and the mattress creaking as Rin finally got in bed. There was a dim blue light and Rin spoke "Siri, set an alarm for 7:00 AM tomorrow."

There was a female's voice in the room now, with a British accent.

 _"Alarm set for 7:00 AM tomorrow."_

There was a _click!_ indicating Rin had shut off his phone. The sound of more shifting rang out, and then a momentary silence.

"Hey, Yukio?" Rin asked quietly. "Are you asleep?" Yukio didn't have the energy to respond, so he tried to fall asleep again. "You know I'm really happy that you're home. I think the priests are too. I can't wait for the contest tomorrow. I know I'm going to make dad proud. I'll be watching for you in the crowd..."

"I missed you, Yukio."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Hails: Before you kill me for the YukioxShiemi fluff,** **I'M SORRY I COULDN'T HELP IT! It was meant more as a friendship thing than as a romantic thing. Besides. We ALL know that Shiemi has, or once had, the hots for Yukio. ADMIT IT! We all know this!** **No, this is not the pairing for the story. But remember the author's note at the beginning of this chapter?**

 **And I quote: "** _ **Also, poll is still up for pairings! If I don't get too many voters I'll just do no pairing at all."**_

 **IMO, I seriously think YukioxShiemi is adorable as hell. I ship it!**

 **And yes, the ocean glows blue at night during red tide. No, I most certainly am not kidding. That is legit, look it up.**


	5. The Preliminaries

**A/N:**

 **Hails: This entire chapter, I kid you not, I was thinking of the song** _ **Get Off My Back**_ **by** _ **Bryan Adams**_ **from** _ **Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron.  
**_ (If you have not watched that movie, you have no childhood.)

 **You'll want to know this-**

 **Key** **  
Hypen (-) = POV change**

* * *

Rin's breathing turned ragged as he jogged down the sandy beach. His water-proof, digital watch read that the time was twenty minutes before the judges started selecting who would participate. He smiled eagerly as his sandals met the white sands. It was cloudy outside, and rays of sun just barely poked through the clouds. Rin figured the weather would clear up later today. Rolling his shoulders, he pushed forward to the registration site.

Upon reaching the booth, he stuck his surfboard into the sand so it sat upright. He snatched up a pen from a cup sitting on the makeshift counter, and wrote down his information for the Akuma Kahakai surfing competition. When he finished, the attendant gave him a reassuring smile, allowing Rin entry to the closed off beach. The stretch of sand was perhaps about a quarter of a mile long. However, Rin noted that just like when he was seven years old, the Devil's Teeth were sitting menacingly nearby.

 _"But riptide messed up the current of the wave, and pulled him towards the Devil's Teeth, a collection of sharp and jagged rocks our father forbid us from ever going near. He always put restrictions to stay at least half of a mile away from them so Rin or I weren't hurt, or worse. He didn't want us to die. The competition just so happened to step over those boundaries. My father hit one of the rocks and went under."_

Rin felt a bit unsettled seeing the Devil's Teeth, but forced the thought of his father's death from his mind. He couldn't back out now. Not after he vowed he would do this. After he promised to make his dad proud. _Dad..._ Rin began in his mind;unsure of his actions. He swallowed his overwhelming pride and looked to the sky. He felt unsure how to continue this prayer to his deceased father's spirit. He placed his board on a public rack where the other surfers were doing the same thing he intended to do. He pulled out a lump of soft fabric and a can of wax, and began grooming the board with long, firm strokes along the grain of the board.

 _Please bless me during this competition. Please bless the other players. I ask for guidance and peace. Dad... I'm going to make you proud._

* * *

Yukio grumbled halfheartedly, scrunching his face up in agitation as his turquoise eyes took a moment to adjust to the golden sunlight pouring through the skylight. He sat up and grabbed his glasses from the small platform and glanced over to his left to see Rin's bed unoccupied; the covers splayed untidily over the mattress. Yukio didn't even bother to shake his head disapprovingly as Rin was known in the household for being messy. Yukio rubbed his eyes, lifting his glasses up a bit, and then yawned. With a stretch, he looked at his watch to see that it was about 9:45. _The preliminary round has already started._ Yukio inferred mentally. _That means I should probably go meet Rin at the beach today._

Yukio soon got into action and dressed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He then dug a pair of tennis shoes out of his suit case and slipped them on. With one more glance around the room, he quickly climbed down the ladder and onto the ground level where Nagatomo was waiting with breakfast ready - There was an assortment of toast, bacon, and sausage on a plate that was sitting on the island. Nagatomo was standing in the kitchenette sipping coffee from a bland, white mug. He set the mug down on the counter and smiled at the young genius.

"Good morning, Yukio." Nagatomo greeted.

"Good morning, Nagatomo." Yukio said in return. The student already knew what was coming, so instead of protesting about breakfast, he grabbed a piece of toast and started munching on it. For a moment it was silent as Yukio ate his breakfast and Nagatomo sipped his coffee, but the tranquility broke once Yukio spoke. "Rin's down at the beach, yes?"

Nagatomo confirmed Yukio's question with a nod and hum.

"I also got a call from your friends. They'll meet you down there."

"Alright." Yukio nodded his head. For some reason he could feel a tad of dread churning in the pits of his stomach. _It's been ages since I've down to the beach. Eight months to be exact. I haven't seen Rin since I left. How's he going to respond?_

* * *

Yukio walked along the path to the beach, deep in thought about how to confront his brother on the situation. He had no idea if Rin would be mad or if he would be cool about it. That's the thing about Rin. He's unpredictable with his emotions. Which left Yukio in a status of unease. He didn't want to think about it; but it was still a necessity.

"Yuki!"

Yukio looked up and saw his group of friends waving to him. He smiled something small at their appearance and jogged over to the clique. He greeted each one carefully and with a concealed mask. He put up his walls in hopes they wouldn't see how he was feeling about coming back here. Too many dark memories flooded his mind. His father. His brother. The clergymen. He already stood where he wanted to be, and now it's become the time to stand where he needed to be. With his brother during the Akuma Kahakai surfing competition.

The clique of teens walked along the path, chatting quietly about what the beach would like. The sun shown brightly above, brightening the sky with a gorgeous blue hue of the nitrogen atmosphere. Yukio absentmindedly ignored the innate chit chat and counted his steps like he did as a kid- _457... 458..._ That's right. It's about 500 steps on a stone staircase from the city region to the beach. Yukio had gone up and down those stairs with his brother and father so often that he soon learned to contain the patience of counting how many times his shoes hit the concrete. This was nothing knew to him, and in fact it felt natural; almost therapeutic.

It wasn't until they reached the bottom of the path and stepped onto the beach that Yukio slipped out of his nostalgia. He inhaled the fresh, saltwater scent. Down the mystic, white stretch of sand music could be heard blaring out of speakers and pounding in rhythm of the grey waves washing up onto the shore. Yukio wore an expression of sentimentality as they walked underneath a gateway arch with the words **'AKUMA KAHAKAI SURFING COMPETITION'** written across it in bright, bold letters. The other teens were in awe over the party. People were dancing to the roaring music; fire eaters were blowing hot, orange flames into the air as a show; studious, serious lifeguards were lined up and down the quarter mile area of the beach.

Renzou seemed to be in heaven. He laid his eyes upon any woman in a bikini. Personally, having been around swimsuits and exposed skin all his life, Yukio felt no effect when a particularly curvaceous lady passed by in one of the skimpiest swimsuits possible. Although the other boys' jaws dropped. Yukio even thought he saw Izumo staring; not out of lust but jealousy. It took everything Yukio had not to start laughing. He knew he might get slapped. Girls tended to get offended by the smallest, weirdest things.

"Ay!" Juuzou's resonated through the crowd as the pair of Shima brothers, plus a girl with sharp eyes and brilliant white hair cut through the crowd. All three of them were wearing some kind of wet suit. "You guys made it! How about that? I was wondering when you guys were gonna show up."

"Sorry about that, Juu-nii!" Renzo smiled, but then found himself grimacing at the sight of the woman. His next words came out in a dejected tone. "Hello, Mamushi."

"Renzo Shima." She huffed.

"Play nice, guys." Juuzou chuckled. "Okay, people. This is Mamushi Hojo. My fiancé. She'll be competing too."

"Hello, Mamushi." Koneko bowed respectfully. "It's nice to see you again."

The other teenagers took a moment to introduce themselves to her with a smile on their faces in order to appear polite.

"Alrighty then." Kinzou laughed out loud once the two parties were initiated with each other. "Preliminaries are happening pretty soon and they're going to introduce the competitors. They purposely took the list down just to put on a show for the watchers. The judges are ready to bring in the score. So we have to have to go. See ya when we kick the competition to the curb!"

The three left just a soon as they arrived, and started jogging off to the competitor's reserved area.

"ATTENTION ALL SURFERS AND BEACH GOERS!" The sound of an over ecstatic announcer's voice rung out over the shore through a filtered megaphone. "WE'RE ABOUT TO ANNOUNCE THE COMPETITORS FOR THE AKUMA KAHAKAI SURFING COMPETITION." All of this felt all too familiar to Yukio. He, almost for a second, expected the announcer to say his father's name. He's become so accustomed to the sound of his father in competition that it almost seemed abnormal not to hear his name among the crowd. A loud bell rang out and the competitors dove out into the ocean with their surf boards. Yukio's breath hitched as his eyes caught a mop of blue hair taking off. _Rin..._ "WHO'S READY FOR THIS YEAR'S - 2016 - PRELIM RIP OFF?"

"Rip off?" Renzo tilted his head in confusion as the crowd raised their hands in the air and started bouncing to the beat of some electronic music.

"It's a minor competition; what you and your brothers refer to as a surf off." Yukio explained professionally. "To be completely honest, the prelims happened long before anyone was on the beach. It keeps the surfer's anxiety down to a minimum so that the worse they could do in front of a crowd would be last place instead of not even placing at all. There are about sixteen competitors. Tomorrow, after the initial contest, they'll start cutting people off. It'll continue that way in standard tournament fashion until the finals where the last two people compete for the title 'The King of Akuma Beach.' The rip off is just to show off the competitors and get everyone familiar with them."

"Ah." Renzo nodded his head in understanding.

In the background, _Bryan Adams' Get Off of My Back_ started playing the background. This allowed for the announcer to rally everyone up for the rip off.

"IT'S TIME FOR COMPETITOR NUMBER ONE TO MAKE A SHOW!" She screamed. "YOU ALL KNOW HIM. THE WINNER OF THE PAST EIGHT COMPETITIONS! THE KING OF THE WATER!" The whole crowd started cheering as a particularly big wave roared over a small figure in the distance. "IT'S KISHI ISRAEL. BUT YOU ALL KNOW HIM! IT'S EGYYYYYN!"

The crowd exploded into applause as the figure's board cut through the wave cleanly. He was tan, muscular and well built, but not so much of a body builder that it was a turn off. The girls in the audience through out wolf whistles and cat calls. The figure seemed pleased by the attention, and he sailed across the water with a couple of trick moves- three-sixties, aerials, and even using the wave, would had rarely and fortunately formed a tube, to almost make it appear like had head been crushed under the thick, heavy pressure of the water; only zip right out in a last second window.

None of the other competitors measured up to Egyn. Yet, even with Juuzou, Kinzou, and Mamushi on the water, Egyn was still the best. Yukio could tell simply the posture, how smoothly the board's fin helped with the maneuvers, and the amount of focus he employed. Not whether or not his tricks were the best. Yukio winced as another boarder was taken out by a particularly intimidating wave.

(-)

Rin grit his teeth when Shiratori went under. He and the white-haired punk weren't exactly friends, or on good terms, to say the least. But that didn't mean Rin hadn't felt a little sympathy. Getting smashed by a wave was easily one of the worst feelings; and one of the worst risks when it came to the extreme sport known as surfing. Rin sighed in relief when Shiratori's head popped up out of the water. He could feel the other competitors, who were flanking him, relax at the sight of Shiratori, who turned out relatively unharmed. Rin helped the poor guy onto his board with a single: "Are you okay, man?"

"Yeah. A little dizzy and lightheaded. Still, I'm alright." Shiratori hissed as he held his head in his hands. "But that sucked."

"No kidding." Rin spoke out of empathy. "Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt. That was a nasty wave."

"Ah, whatever." Shiratori grinned. "I'm not out of the competition yet. Just you watch, Okumura. I'm gonna kick your ass."

"We'll see." Rin smirked mischievously. He and Shiratori had declared challenges- rip off's on each other all the time after school. Of course that meant they had also tried to drown each other a countless amount of times. In truth, though, a rip off was much easier and much less of a hassle than a fist fight. "I look forward to it."

"AND OUR LAST COMPETITOR. YOU KNOW HIM! IT'S FUJIMOTO'S VERY OWN SURFING PRODIGY!"

"Looks like that's my cue!" Rin chirped and glided his board forward with a farewell salute. "Don't push yourself too hard, okay?"

(-)

"HERE HE COMES! IT'S THE HELLSPAWN! THE WAVE SHREDDER! IT'S- RIN OKUMURAAAAAA!"

Yukio, who perched next to a towering lifeguard chair, focused his attention solely on his brother and studied his technique. He smiled excitedly upon discovering that Rin's skill had improved to be on par with Egyn's. He cheered loudly as Rin skimmed the top of the water in and aerial and flew along the bottom with a twist. This earned him a couple odd looks from his classmates, not that he was paying attention to them.

 _Whump!_

Yukio stepped back just in time for a lifeguard floaty to drop down next to him. He looked up at the person, who leaned over the arm rests to apologize for knocking the tool over, where it almost hit Yukio on the head.

"Aw, crap." She spoke apologetically. "Sorry dude, I wasn't paying attention. You aren't hurt, are ya? Wait-"

Shura's eyes widened just as much as Yukio's. The only sound had to have been the crowd cheering for Rin's abilities, and even then they were hard to hear over Yukio's heart beating; pounding against his chest. _Oh no... no... not her. Not her. NotHerNotHerNotHerNotHer. NOT HER!_ "Holy crap. No freaking way! It's the four-eyed scaredy cat!" Shura exclaimed at the top of her lungs and pounced from the wooden chair to meet Yukio at the bottom. She greeted him with her traditional headlock and noogie. "How'ya been, Scaredy? It's been eight months!"

"Sh-Shura!" Yukio spluttered out through the feeling of her knuckle digging into his skull and the forearm wrapped around his neck. He clawed at Shura's arm to remove her to no avail. "Stop! You're attracting attention!"

"That's the point, Chicken!"

"Don't call me, 'Chicken!'"

"Hm... no." Shura said after a half-second of contemplation. She temporarily hopped back up on her chair and snatched down her own megaphone. She turned it on and started shouting into the speaker. Yukio attempted to stop her, but Shura retaliated by putting him into another headlock. This caused the TCA students to start laughing at the scene that played out before them. "SORRY MEGU! I'VE GOT AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO MAKE! GUESS WHAT, EVERYONE! YUKIO'S BACK IN TOWN!"

People started looking in Shura's direction, a couple with amused faces at the sight of her wrangling an embarrassed Yukio. Whispers flitted through the crowd, making the TCA students genuinely curious. Did all these people really know their good friend: Okumura? And if they did, how? And why? What made him so popular among his hometown? "HEY RIN! YA HEAR THAT?! I FOUND YOUR TWIN BROTHER!"

(-)

Rin looked up and stopped focusing on his task when he heard Shura shouting at him from the beach. He could just barely make out Yukio being nearly strangled by Shura in the distance on the shore. He was at a loss for words, and his lack of focus cost him dearly.

"Yukio?!"

His balanced wavered, his black surfboard slipped from underneath his feet, and he tumbled into the blue-green, swirling ocean.

(-)

Upon seeing the wave come down, the crowd winced with a concerned a slightly conceited "ooh~" as it crushed Rin under the pressure. Yukio, on the other hand, knew that Rin would be okay. He was more concerned about the spotlight being shined onto his reluctant self.

So much for staying anonymous.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Hails: So... late updates, eh? Well, uh... here's the thing. The muses refused to bless me with writing power until recently.**

 **My summer has been SO busy, and I deeply apologize for that. Hah... and my friend is moving to Indiana, so I wanted to spend time with her. My family also went to Yellowstone, and I had some, yes, math summer make up work I needed to be doing. I'm very unmotivated in math class at school.**

 **Also, yes. I know it's not 2016 in the Blue Exorcist timeline. It just so happens it takes place sometime in like, 2011 or 2012. I messed that up. Forgive my impudence, but there's point in going back to fix it.**

 **By the way, guess what I found out? Apparently, the wiki page has been updated for information on Renzo's profile, and they named all of Shima's family except for his mother. Going eldest to youngest in terms of brothers (and sisters): Takezo (eldest brother), Jun (eldest sister), Juuzou, Gouzou (I was close! I said Kouzou), Kinzou, Renzou, and Yumi (youngest sister). YEEEESSSS. AWESOME! I'll have to go back and edit the last chapter though.**

 **POLL IS STILL OPEN FOR PAIRINGS. PLEASE GO VOTE.**


	6. The Devil's Teeth

**A/N:**

 **Hails: Guess who's back?! YATA! I completed it! And I certainly took my sweet time while doing it, huh?**

 **Not gonna lie, I got my motivation by listening to some chill beach surf music. It reminds me of California. I miss that place so much.**

* * *

The whole beach was silent; staring in shock at what they were seeing. Not only did Rin Okumura get smothered by a wave and come out of it perfectly okay, but Yukio Okumura, who had disappeared for eight months to the ever prestigious True Cross Academy, had returned to Southern Cross Territory for the Akuma Kahakai surfing competition. It was certainly a treat to be grateful for.

Yukio's face of chagrin only worsened as a soaking, grinning Rin came bounding up the damp shore in his dark wetsuit - calling his brother's name elatedly.

"Yukio! Yukio!"

Said teenager would've run away if Shura hadn't secured him by his shirt collar and was forcing him to stay put. At the last second, the young woman released Yukio from her signature wrestling hold, just in time for Rin to tackle him in a bone crushing bear hug. The younger twin grunted in mild surprise as Rin nuzzled lovingly against the crook of his neck.

"Yukio, you're home!" Rin cried gleefully. He took a moment to breathe in Yukio's unforgettable scent: sea salt and medicinal herbs. His rhythmic heartbeat pumped. Rin couldn't help but feel a bit wistful. Yukio's beating heart had always been his favorite lullaby if they had ever slept in the same bed. The feeling of Yukio so close to him again almost brought tears to his eyes, but he pushed them back to keep in mind that he was in a competition.

"Yeah... I'm home..." Yukio coerced himself to choke out. That statement is not figurative. Yukio tapped Rin's back repetitively to get his twin's attention, as Rin knew no bounds to how strong he could be most days. He continued on in a breathy voice: "Rin... You're choking me."

Rin instantly released his brother and leaped back. He rubbed the back of his head apologetically with a sheepish smile.

"Oops... sorry, Yukio."

Yukio could feel his now wet clothes stick to his skin. He pursed his lips and proceeded to take a deep breath. He knew Rin was just excited and Yukio had no room to say his elder twin wasn't allowed to be. Rin shuffled his feet nervously as if wondering what he should do. Yukio sighed once again, then held his arms out in a welcoming gesture. Rin's face lit up like a Christmas tree. He bounced in place a few times, then jumped into Yukio's waiting arms. He breathed in the same scent as before. The young doctor-in-training wrapped his arms around Rin's shorter form, finding that his muscles had built up a shocking amount in such a short time. Burying his nose in Rin's damp hair, Yukio couldn't help but think: _Rin's gotten stronger. He must've been working hard._

Rin forced himself to step away from Yukio, despite wanting nothing more than to stay there in a tight, familiar embrace. Rin's mouth morphed into a bright, pearly grin that signified his joy before looking around a bit bemusedly.

"Yo!" He shouted with a pretend, lost tone. "What happened to the music? Bring the beat back! It's a party!"

The crowd exploded into cheers as the music came back. Warm bodies began jumping up and down, moving and grooving to the hot, dubstep remixes of all the popular songs. Rin turned back to his brother with a knowing look. "I figured you'd want the crowd to stop staring." Rin rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

Yukio smiled something small.

"Even after eight months you still know that I despise being the center of attention."

"Hey, don't underestimate me," Rin smirked with joyous undertones. "I know you. I always know you. You're my baby brother."

"I'm not a baby, Rin." Yukio reminded, knowing exactly what banter would be happening in the next few moments. "You're only older than me in everything except for actual age."

Rin's bottom lip jut out in a pout. "Mean, Yukio. Why do you gotta be a bully?" He whined.

"I'm not being a bully I'm just pointing out the obvious," Yukio smirked. Sometimes it was just... _so easy_ to get a rise out of his brother. "Besides, you do it to me all the time."

"Okay. True." Rin admitted. He rocked back and forth on his heels. "Anyway, I'm glad to see you again. Are you... Are you gonna get back in the water with me?"

"Oh, Rin..." Yukio frowned sadly. His glittering, turquoise eyes suggested the exact opposite of what Rin was hoping for.

"Please, Yukio," Rin begged. "It's been eight months, and you've been avoiding it for so long. Actually, it's been a lot longer than that. Dad died eight years ago!"

"I know, but-"

"But what?" Rin cut his brother off in an annoyed tone. "Avoiding it doesn't get you anywhere. Don't you think dad would want you to?"

"Rin, please don't."

"I'll do it."

"What?" Yukio cocked his head with a confused, suspicious glare etched onto his face. "What are you going to do?"

"This." Rin sank to his knees, and suddenly Yukio understood exactly what Rin was threatening to do.

"Don't," Yukio warned, stepping back from his brother. Rin clasped his hands, his large blue eyes widening in a sorrowful, pleading manner. "Rin, don't you dare."

"Please, Yuki," Rin whined and scootched forward on his knees, delighting as he saw the pet name he inflicted upon his brother run its course in a matter of embarrassment. Rin wrapped his arms around Yukio's waist and pressed his chin up against Yukio's stomach. His large, blue eyes shimmered as he begged for his brother's return.

"Rin, stop." Yukio hissed and tried to remove himself from Rin's iron strong grip.

"Never." The younger twin's insistent pleading only encouraged Rin to act more like a child. "Please! PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! Pleeeeeaaaassseee! Yukiooooooo!"

"Stop whining!"

"Hey, come on, Teach." Shima nudged Yukio's arm, earning him a dark glare. "Let's see you surf. I'll bet you get wasted by Jūzō and Kinzō."

"No way!" Rin suddenly stood up straight. "Yukio and I have been surfing since we were five years old."

"Four." Yukio corrected. "Four years old."

"Oh, even better." Rin looked at Yukio appreciatively. "Since we were four, how long is that? Eleven years of experience? You can't top that."

"My brothers have been surfing for longer than that." Shima pointed out. "Jūzō is twenty-five with nearly twenty years of experience and Kinzō is twenty with the same amount of experience and your age! Top that!"

"We were trained by the five-time consecutive champion of the Akuma Kahakai Surfing Competition!" Rin screeched indignantly. "AND, it doesn't end there because we were also trained by the champion who's won the contest for the past, six, seven, EIGHT YEARS! We were trained by the best! Suck on that!"

"I don't even know who you are! You can't fight me on this!" Renzō countered. "And the 'best surfer' is a matter of opinion. You can't claim that when you don't know the facts!"

"I do know facts!" Rin argued back. "I'm Rin, by the way, Yukio's twin brother. And you better bet'cher ass that I know facts because Shirō Fujimoto and Kishi Israel AKA Egyn are the best surfers ever. EVER. Period."

"You have no proof!"

"Shima, don't," Yukio warned. "You can't argue with Rin, he's stubborn and refuses to admit that he's wrong if he ever is. This isn't something he's wrong about."

"Oh!" Shima exclaimed. "We're going there, huh? Battle of brothers? Jūzō and Kinzō, what's your name, Rin? They will wipe. You. Out. Both of you."

"Rin's competing this year as one of the youngest surfers," Yukio spoke cooly. "and I'm willing to bet he'll get first place this year."

"Yeah!" Rin jumped for joy. "You go, Yukio! Tell him!"

"Do we have a rivalry here?!" Shura popped up out of nowhere with an excited shout. "Please say 'yes!' The Shima Brothers versus the Okumura Twins! This is something I've got to see! But first, I want to see Yukio get back in the water. How about, Yukio?"

"A rip-off between me and Yukio?" Rin asked with a large grin. "Hell yes!"

"Hell, no!" Yukio countered.

"I will start begging again."

"No, you won't."

"Try me."

"Let's do it!" Shura wrapped both of them in a headlock. "I say yes. Come on, Yukio, come on."

"No." Yukio stood firm on his position.

"Oh, you're killing me!" Shura squeezed his head harder. "Yu-ki-o! Yu-ki-o! YU-KI-O!"

"It's not working!" Yukio declared. But the traitorous, prideful part of his mind purred whilst being enchanted by the cheering - he was, after all, a fairly experienced surfer and he rather liked being complimented. Rin squirmed out of Shura's grip and continued the chanting.

"YU-KI-O! YU-KI-O! YU-KI-O!"

The beach and surfers eventually caught on to what both Rin and Shura were chanting for and allowed themselves to get swept away in the enthusiasm. Yukio's name was repeated, resonating over the beach. Yukio spared a glance at the blue, welcoming ocean with remorseful eyes. Even she was beckoning him to come back. Yukio swallowed and submitted. He wrestled his way out of Shura's headlock and put his hands up to halt the cheering.

"Alright, fine."

The crowd on the beach erupted in screams and cheers and the music turned on louder than before. Rin decidedly launched a spare wetsuit into Yukio's face without consideration and cracked up laughing despite Yukio's deep growling and now lopsided glasses.

"Go get changed, nerd!"

* * *

Yukio tugged at the wetsuit that fit snugly around his body. He felt a bit uncomfortable and vulnerable as the tight suit hugged his curves, particularly his waist and chest. The searing, morning sun beat down on him. It was perfect for a beach day, especially since it was the Akuma Kahakai competition. Rin shoved a white surfboard into Yukio's hands and plucked Yukio's glasses off the younger twin's face.

"I know you're vision isn't that bad." Rin puffed up his cheeks, still wondering why Yukio even wore them if he could find contacts that would work far more effectively. "You can't surf with those anyway, they'll fall off."

Yukio didn't argue, but he didn't take Rin's stronger, less gentle actions with a grain of salt. Yukio glanced at the board, taking in the design. Painted about two-thirds of the way up was a black arrowhead surrounded in the swirls of a teal, ocean water decal. Yukio looked back at Rin who was already jogging towards the ocean with his board, and Yukio followed suite. The water lapped around his calves as he chased Rin into the sea, then used his board to propel him forward until he and Rin were a good distance out.

"Are ya ready?" Rin's pearly whites flashed as he smiled. The word 'challenge' flashed in Yukio's mind, and he failed to suppress a smirk.

"Only if you're ready to lose." Yukio shot back. Rin couldn't help but laugh darkly.

"Au contraire, little brother." Rin tutted and wagged his finger. "You're out of practice, so you should be the one prepared to suffer a humiliating defeat."

Rin dipped his hand into the water, feeling the cool liquid gently devour his wrist. He tossed his hand up, bringing a splash of the salt water with him. The glistening beads were caught in the wind, and they blew in Rin's direction. "Looks like I'm going first!"

Rin paddled his board out into the vast ocean, then stopped for a moment, waiting. Rin once again dipped his fingers into the water, skimming them over the top and delving them deeper into her oceanic abyss. His breath stilled, his eyes closed, and everything was silent. With the exception of the ocean which swayed rhythmically, gently bobbing up and down. The current didn't move in any direction, everyone on the beach held their breath. A chill ran down Yukio's spine, he was all too familiar with Rin's actions when it came to surfing. He commonly had mimicked the actions when surfing before he vanished to prestigious school hours away by train, Shiro Fujimoto had taught them both well.

...

Rin's eyes snapped open. The current around his wrist shifted and he yanked his hand out of the water. He stretched, earning excited, curious noises from the beach crowd. Rin flipped his board around, the current carrying him into a spontaneous, good wave that would be sure to allow him a long distance. He stood onto his board as the wave gradually grew and angled the waxed wood. He soared across the waves, swooping up and down, skimming over the top and jumping, earning him Big Air points.

As the wave approached Yukio, he duck dived underneath the rolling current, drowning out the screaming fans and rippling water. The world slowed down for a moment, and Yukio could almost recall everytime he had ever gone under a wave. The first time when he was six, again and again, and again until he turned seven years, eight years... and after Fujimoto's passing. Yukio had let his grief drive him away from the water he so yearned for, looked to in awe whenever he glanced out the window to see a sparkling ocean not far from where he was.

Maybe Rin was right. Maybe it was time that he left his pain behind and do what he loved.

When Yukio resurfaced, he didn't bother to look back. He paddled forward with a new determination until he felt the current adjust itself just slightly. He turned his board around, waiting for the current to lift him up. The wave he caught was bigger than Rin's and allowed him to rise higher. He was a bit unbalanced, but he managed to perform many of the same tricks as Rin smoothly and effectively. When his body met the water again and resurfaced, he could hear the crowd roaring eagerly. His eyes, which were clouded with water, could barely make out a bouncing green blur on the shore with a wild blonde dot making up her hair. When Yukio cleared his vision, he could see Shiemi was vigorously cheering for him.

He smiled something small when his vision was obscured. He looked up to see Rin holding out a hand for him.

"Get up, little brother, we're not done yet." Rin grinned mischievously. Yukio returned the eager expression and grasped Rin's hand, allowing his twin to yank him up onto his board.

* * *

"As we lay in the sand and we stare at the sky, watch the moon dance in white as the stars light your eyes. Oh, my there's no place on earth I'd rather be~" Kishi Israel, the twins' mentor after Shirō's passing, had turned out to be pretty cool. After the whole beach had finally decided to start clearing out to prepare for the first round tomorrow, Kishi took all the youngsters aside and started a campfire. They cooked up tinfoil dinners until the sun reached the tip of the mountains and then Kishi pulled out a guitar while Shura had her hands on a ukulele (and Rin had his on a tambourine). The two were now singing a duet and howling at the moon like a couple of ariose gods. "

"And my this night just don't feel real. But I can feel your touch promise you won't let go~" Shura sang. "And our minds were meant to sail take a rest from our thoughts, take a break from this world~"

Shura cut off to allow Kishi and Rin to cut in and the two finished the umpteenth duet (or rather, trio) that night.

"And we'll feel miles away from the places that we used to BEEEEEEEEEEEE~!"

All the teenagers laughed and made jabs at the threesome, finding their musical adventure both entertaining and annoying, allowing the day to come to a satisfying end. Rin glared at the sun and huffed indignantly then looked to his board. Menacing clouds sailed over the ocean, creating a dark, threatening atmosphere.

"Damn," Rin hissed. "I hope those clouds don't stick around for the competition tomorrow."

Shura caught his eye. "Yeah, no kidding. It'll be hella annoying if a lightning storm comes along. They'll have to postpone the contest if that happens."

"Hey, Shura?" Rin queried as he shielded his eyes. "I'm gonna try and catch one more wave before the sun completely sets."

"Ah, Rin, that's not a good idea."

Rin didn't listen. "Relax, Shura it'll be fine."

Shura sighed and massaged her eyelids. "No, Rin," She muttered. "Not with those clouds. You know beaches around here get really rough riptide, if it starts raining and riptide yanks you into the Devil's Teeth, you know damn well your chances of survival are as good as zero." The explanation was enough to satisfy the teenagers and make Kishi nod in agreement, however, when Shura looked up, Rin was already gone. So was his board.

"Rin?" She looked around, suddenly panic-stricken. "Rin?!"

She scoured the ocean, watching a tan figure work his way out into the waves.

"RIN!" Shura ran for the sea and waded out until she was thigh deep. "Rin! Get back here! It's dangerous!"

Rin turned around on his board and cocked his head. He had heard Shura the first time, and although tempted to snark back that he'd be fine, he opted to ignore her and go back to paddling. He was so focused on the task at hand that the thought of riptide and the Devil's Teeth escaped him. It wasn't until he felt the current shift abnormally and the rain harshly pelting his face that he felt his blood run cold. The ocean had turned a void-like shade of black as a dominating wave towered over him and smashed into him, submerging him in the murky water and roughly shoving Rin meters underneath the surface.

Shura screeched and dashed back to the beach to grab her lifeguard rescue tube. Kishi wasted no time and grabbed a rescue board, following Shura out on the waves. Yukio was frozen his fear as he looked around, trying to spot his brother. A spec in the distance caught his eye and his heart climbed up to his throat.

Rin had barely managed to resurface despite the oppressive waves that kept stealing his breath. He clung onto one of the many rocks, trying to steady himself. He could barely see through his mess of long hair and the rain would not stop pouring. His fingers slipped from the jagged, rocky surface of many of the spires making up the Devil's Teeth. Another stirred wave was upon him quicker than a flash of lightning, and Rin didn't have time to comprehend how to react. He instinctively drew in another breath and the wave crashed down on him, ripping his grip from the rocks and drowning him in water. He desperately tried to get back to the surface before he lost his air. Rin had been trained to hold his breath for a long time, four minutes exactly, but that didn't mean he could afford to take his situation lightly. Rin clawed at the water but was only thrust deeper down by more pressure.

He only had a few minutes. He could do it.

He was so close. Another wave pushed him away from the sweet kiss of oxygen.

Blood pumping. Fear. Doubt. Worry. Help!

Heart pounding. Gut clenching. Oxygen supply low.

 _Thunk!_

Rin wasn't sure what exactly the noise was until the pain pounding against the back of his skull. All his muscles tensed and black dots danced on the edge of his vision. The impact had been so sudden that he hadn't been able to register how quickly it had happened. His eyes felt heavy, sending warning bells off in his head, yet he couldn't muster up the physical determination to care. He was... so sleepy...

Rin's eyes drifted closed as Tiamat's unforgiving arms yanked him into a cold, hushed embrace.

Shura's voice echoed faintly in his head.

 _'No! We can't lose him... we can't lose another one."_

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Hails: I regret nothing. Come at me.**

 **The full name of this chapter is The Devil's Teeth [AKA the chapter that Rin gets screwed over, enjoy]**

 **ALSO! THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT A PAIRING FOR THIS STORY! So far 'No Pairings' is leading with five votes (probably the smartest decision), and 'RinxShiemi' is coming in close second with three votes. 'YukioxShiemi' has no votes (unfortunately) but that doesn't mean it'll lose! Polls are closed as soon as chapter 7 is posted!**

 **Stay savvy, my friends.  
~Hails**


	7. The Dead Boy

**A/N:**

 **Hails: Okay, first and foremost. An apology. I owe a massive one to you guys. Writer's block kicked my ass but muses are singing again. I should thank Alfirza for PMing me because otherwise, I don't think I would've finished this. I've got some new motivation and it feels great. Thank you, babe~ ;)**

 **Second off, I'm gonna try and pump the last few chapters of this out and finally figure out what the hell I'm doing with Rosebud. In the meantime, enjoy the chapter. **

* * *

Rin's vision was blurry, but faintly he could recall bright lights and shouting people. Somewhere along the line, he thought maybe he'd stopped breathing, that his heart had stopped pumping. An electrical shock, he thought had happened somewhere in there before all he could witness in his line of sight was a blinding white light. In his blistering solitude, he began to wonder if he would meet his father. Did his prayers go unanswered? Or was he simply foolish to stray too close to the Devil's Teeth? Perhaps it was both and perhaps those queries would haunt him well into the afterlife. In Rin's mind, one phrase stuck out.

 _'I'm dead, aren't I?'_

* * *

Shura paced in the hallway lobby not twenty yards from the emergency room, bikini straps feeling just a little too tight around her shoulders and the linoleum floor beginning to harshly bear her weight, making the pads of her feet ache. She bit her plump lip until she drew blood, ignored a migraine beginning to buzz behind her eyelids, and repressed the urge to find the nearest trash can to retch her guts out. These past twelve hours had been _the most_ stressful, terrifying hours of her life. The hours she waited with forced patience for an update on Rin's status; on whether or not the boy she had adopted as a little brother, her precious little monkey, would make it out alive.

"Pacing like that isn't going to ensure his survival," Egyn murmured just loud enough for Shura to hear. The woman paused for a moment, loose and wild cerise hair falling at her side as her muscles tensed, her fingers curled in on her palms. She whipped around with the blackest glare she could muster, marched over to where Egyn leaned against the wall and snarled her most furious words.

"Yeah, well leaning against the wall like that ain't' gonna ensure his survival either, dumbass!" She didn't pay attention to the way Egyn winced at how harsh she had made her words. She was far too lost in her own emotions, the concern she held tight in her body for Rin, that she didn't care either. "How can you remain so calm when Rin is on his death bed? We have had no update on his condition since yesterday, Yukio actually bawled his eyes and threw up because he might lose his only remainin' family in this next little bit, and the surfing contest starts tomorrow! How are we gonna break to all of Polu Kai beach that Rin Okumura is dead!?"

"He's not dead," Egyn snapped. His piercing gaze made Shura squirm. The man was capable of so much emotion in so little expression that just seeing him scowl was enough to coerce a person to stand down immediately. Fortunately, Shura knew him well. She would not back off. So much rage floated in the space between them, between their little shouting match when Egyn sighed. "He's not dead, Shura, you know he isn't. Rin's a tough kid, tougher than Fujimoto ever was. And Rin had us, remember? He didn't go under and drown, we got him out of there and you performed CPR. He'll make it."

Shura still kept her gaze trained on Egyn, nearly shaking her head as it seemed her eyes lost even more of their spark. "How? How can you remain so calm?" She whispered.

"Years of practice," Egyn shrugged. Because really, the King of the Akuma Kahakai contest was panicking underneath his husk of tranquil serenity. His heart had climbed up to his throat and he was rigid with dread. He had broken out in a cold sweat a while back, but he needed to be the better one here. He needed to remain unruffled, to be the leader in this dark time. It was all in his demeanor to do so. He could break down crying where no one could see him. That was more his style anyway.

The rain had been going all night long and yet it still persevered, hammering the hospital with all its might. Fat droplets of water pounded against the windows- _plinkplinkplinkityplinkplink -_ and unholy thundering could be heard every once and a while. The storm would pass eventually, but keyword being 'eventually.' God decided when the rain would stop, or maybe mother nature did, but the end of the ceiling of gray would certainly last a while.

In the moments that lead up to this, Egyn sought another way to comfort Shura whilst submerged in his own thoughts of the boy he considered a brother.

* * *

 _Egyn cringed as he watched Rin tumble off his board for the nth time that day, the ocean's waves washing over him. It seemed that no matter how much he tried to get Rin's attention, the boy refused to listen to his advice. It was almost as if Rin was still a bit spiteful towards Egyn, an emotion both the boys exhibited towards him. It seemed, although Egyn didn't want to admit it, that Rin and Yukio blamed him for their father's death. He had blamed himself too-_ ** _'what would have happened if I hadn't stolen Fujimoto's wave? Would he still be alive?'_**

 _Egyn sighed once more as Rin popped out of the water, screeching obscenities that he didn't even think an eight-year-old should know; it made him wonder if he spent too much time around Shura (with a mouth like hers, it was a probable theory). He paddled over to Rin and effortlessly pulled the boy from the water onto his own board._

 _"Rin-"_

 _"Put me down, Kishi!" Rin snarled and swat Egyn away in a flurry of limbs. "I don't need yer help, I can do this on my own!"_

 _"Rin, stop struggling-"_

 _The two continued their pathetic wrestling match, Egyn in his attempt to make Rin focus - being his babysitter for today - and Rin in his endeavor to make Egyn go away. At some point along the way, Rin kicked Kishi in the face, causing the result of Rin falling into the water with a massive **splash!** Egyn grumbled and rubbed his nose. At least it wasn't bleeding or broken. Still, Egyn was rather put up with Rin's attitude. The child pouted bitterly, blowing bubbles in the water. He went under for only a moment, then emerged and climbed onto his surfboard. _

_"Honestly, Rin," Egyn grumbled, crossing his arms. "You need to cut that out."_

 _"What?" The young prodigy bit back. "Telling you to 'screw off?'"_

 _Egyn yanked at the Rin's ear, eliciting pitiful yelps from him. Kishi chastised him. "First off, watch your language. Second off, no! Stop trying to disobey everything I tell you. I'm upset that Fujimoto is dead too, so stop taking it out on me."_

 _Rin sniffled, ducking his head to avoid eye contact. Egyn released a huff of air, then whispered Rin's name again._

 _"Hey, brother, I know you're upset," Egyn said in a tone of consolation. Rin stared up at him questioningly, wondering why on earth Egyn would refer to him as his brother. Perhaps it was a familial thing. After all, Fujimoto and Egyn had been close. "You lost someone rather important to you, a role model, and that hurts. I understand, I really do. Your father means the world and beyond to you. But taking your bitterness out on the waves ain't gonna fix anything. You have to let your emotions carry you **with** the waves. If you fight against her, the ocean won't want to carry you."  
_

 _"The ocean isn't alive." Rin shot Egyn an unimpressed, unamused look. The King knew that look all too well, he had seen it on Shura, on many of Shiro's pupils, he'd even seen it on himself when looking in a mirror. He used to doubt such words of wisdom when he was young and foolish._

 _"Au contraire, brother," Egyn soothed, dipping his arm into the water to his elbow as he leaned forward. "The ocean **is** alive. She is the slipstream, she is the coolness, she is everything you feel when you surf - everything unexplainable. Put your arms in the water, feel the undertow, she is there and she will help you. Go with her, don't fight against her. That is the number one rule of surfing." _

_Rin was compliant, so he dipped his arm in the water, however rolling his eyes as he went along to entertain his mentor. He steadied his breathing, letting his arm rest where he felt it should be. All was silent, neither party making a sound as they waited for the ocean to feel alive as it had always been. Rin suddenly moved coming to a realization._

 _"H-hey! I feel something!" He exclaimed ecstatically. Egyn beamed proudly, little did he know that Rin didn't have the same exact, chilling sensation he did. "It feels like... sucking. Like there are multiple tiny suckers all over my arm. Wait a minute..."_

 _Rin pulled his arm out of the water roughly. Both he and Egyn stared, almost mystified as a juvenile Great Pacific Octopus latched all eight of its arms onto Rin's limb, tasting his skin with its neuroreceptors. The surfers were surely silent. Then the octopus made a gross squelching noise and Rin screamed. He flailed around wildly, begging his nanny to **'**_ **getitoffgetitoff** _ **get. It. OFF.'** With a little help from cackling Egyn, they managed to gently pry the octopus off Rin and release it back to its habitat. _

_"I told you the ocean was alive!"_

 _"THAT WASN'T FUNNY, EGYN!"_

* * *

Yukio lied supine position on his bed, staring up at the dark gray sky as rain cascaded from its lips and hit the glass ceiling of his, _and Rin's_ , shared tiny room. Thunder could be heard through his muffled solitude. He had an arm draped over his eyes, memories flashed between here and there as he tried to block out the images he'd seen - both as Shura yanked Rin's lifeless body out of the water and within his nightmares. He hadn't slept at all, yet he still found the time to mumble to himself.

"It's okay..." He whispered. "Everything's fine, Rin's fine, I'm fine... I'm not fine."

How could he be? How could he be _'fine'_ knowing his brother was in the hospital, under anesthesia, with chances of survival diminishing a little bit more every second. The longer Yukio was separated from his brother, the deeper he fell under the impression that soon he would be the last remaining member of the Fujimoto-Okumura family. He had received no texts from Kishi or Shura, no alerts from anyone at the monastery, and had refused to see anyone from school at all.

Solitude was a lonely, ominous kind of company, usually joined by sorrow or sometimes content. Not Yukio's case, however. The poor boy was so lost in his imagination of how it would be to stand at his twin's grave, of how lonely he would be, of how pitying whispers on the street would follow him with every step he took that he didn't hear the wooden rungs of the ladder being climbed by his closest friend.

"Yuki?" The teenage boy didn't need to uncover his eyes to know it was Shiemi coming to comfort him. His bed dipped as the young blonde seated herself close to him. "Yuki, are you okay?"

Yukio didn't say anything, didn't even acknowledge her presence. How she was here was beyond him - perhaps accompaniment from one of the priests? Did she pick up a buddy and follow the rules? Or did she come alone? Either way, he didn't care to respond.

Shiemi, on the other hand, couldn't bear to see her closest friend so... what was the word she was searching for? Depressed. Sure, Shiemi had seen Yukio distant, regretful, embarrassed, furious, every emotion under the sun with the exception of this. Then again, she didn't really know Rin like Yukio did. She didn't know her way around the surfing prodigy nor had she memorized every part of his body through years of experience in the form of sharing beds and comforting hugs after nightmares. Yet she went unperturbed: Shiemi Moriyama was determined to make her best friend smile again.

"Yukio, look at me," Shiemi insisted.

The boy reluctantly uncovered his eyes, only to be met with an incredibly silly faced Moriyama - her tongue was stuck out, she pulled at the corners of her mouth with her pointer fingers, and she crossed her eyes. He snorted, a smile sneaking its way onto his lips as he quickly blackened his vision again.

"Don't you dare mister," The girl scolded in a chiding, 'I'm gonna make you laugh if it's the last thing I do' timbre. "I see you smiling. You can't escape it, Yuki~"

"Shiemi, stooooop," Yukio moaned comically. It wasn't long until the girl was over him, her fingers digging into his ribs in a valiant attempt at a tickle attack. He nearly curled in on himself, shrieking with laughter. At some point, he lost his glasses but was far too distracted to even think about them with a certain gardener coercing an inadvertent grin from him. At the end, both girl and boy were gasping with laughter and Yukio somehow felt much lighter than he did two minutes ago. With a tired groan, he sat up in search for his glasses.

"Here they are," Shiemi chirped, placing the spectacles over Yukio's eyes.

"Ah, thank you," Yukio smiled, but his frown was swift to return. Shiemi sensed it before she saw it. She gingerly took Yukio by the hand in a comforting gesture.

"Yuki, I was talking to the priests at the monastery," She started out shakily. "I figure they aren't the first people you want to speak to, but they want you to know that they have a firm belief that your brother is alive and that he'll recover. It's okay if you worry, but they hope you're comforted by their knowledge. They also encourage you to pray." There was a beat of silence and Shiemi bit her lip. "I'll pray with you if you want."

"But you don't believe in God," the words tumbled out of Yukio's mouth before he could stop them. But instead of being offended by his utterance, Shiemi simply beamed.

"But you do."

Yukio hadn't quite been so encouraged by an agnostic atheist before, but by Shiemi's sheer audacity to put aside her beliefs if only for a moment to support Yukio, he had never been so at peace with it. Shiemi somehow brought that peace. Yukio nodded, they folded their arms and he began to wish for Rin's safety, recovery, and well-being. No sooner had Yukio whispered 'amen,' did the chiming of his phone go off. Both teens scrambled over to check the single notification that would relieve their stress.

 ** _Shura: 'Rin is okay'_**

* * *

Yukio, in all his years of acting as a twin brother, had come to terms with the fact that were days he wouldn't understand one Rin Okumura - no matter how loopy on medications he was. Yet, in some foreboding, odd way, this moment clicked with him forever and he sure as hell wasn't okay with how the hell Rin could be so happy in this moment.

"47 stitches AND COUNTING!" The boy exclaimed, rather proud of himself. "Did you see that, Shura? Did you see what I did?!"

"Yeah, I saw," Shura grumbled, massaging her temples. "And I'm still wondering how yer not dead. Honestly, if it weren't for the fact that you got a concussion, are high on anesthesia, and have exactly 47 stitches all over your hands, arms, chest, and back, I woulda smacked ya upside the head twenty times in a row for being such an idiot."

"Aw, Shura," Rin pouted. "Was big sissy worried about me?"

"YEAH, I WAS WORRIED!" The redhead screamed.

Rin waved her off nonchalantly, half-heartedly listening to her rant about safety and obeying orders from adults who knew better than he. Yukio's eyes traced every bandage on his brother's body, from the ones wrapped around his torso to the sprained wrist he now sported like a champ, even the white strip of an aid over Rin's nose and the white gauze wrapped around his head. While only one doctor was on observation, Yukio had taken the opportunity to read over Rin's medical analysis: _'fractured wrist, concussion, 47 stitches (torso, back, collarbone, hands, arms), cut across the bridge of the nose (will probably scar). No major injuries or broken bones will make a full recovery.'_

 _'Thank God,'_ was all Yukio could think in that moment.

"Oi, oiiii... Yukio!" Said student snapped out of his haze, meeting Rin's annoyed expression. "I gotta question for ya!"

"What is it, Rin?" Yukio asked exhaustedly.

"Will compete in the competition for me?"

There was a beat of silence. One second... two seconds... three...

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH?!"

As Shura and Egyn went into shock, scaring the nurse for a second and shouting indignantly, (whilst Shiemi, who had accompanied the trio, took a moment to try and calm them down) Yukio stood there, slack-jawed and bug-eyed at what Rin was requesting.

"You want me to what?"

"Compete, duh!" Rin smirked in that charming way he had. "I can't do it. Doc says I'm getting discharged tomorrow, but no extreme sports or overexerting myself. My bandages aren't exactly waterproof, yanno?"

"Yeah, yeah, no shit, Rin!" Yukio cussed. A rare event for a 'special' occasion. "But I can't just compete for you, I've barely surfed since I was eight!"

"But you still have the moves!" Rin pointed out. "You performed nearly as well as I did during our rip off!"

"Rin, just because I'm a surfing prodigy like you, doesn't mean I can win a professional competition," Yukio groused in protest. "You can't just spring this on me."

"Actually I can, I put you down on the registration form as my legal backup."

"What?" Yukio nearly snapped. Utter silence, Rin with his smug, impish face that Yukio wanted smack so badly. In this moment, Yukio decided his brother was deserving of every single, meticulous injury the Devil's Teeth had inflicted upon him because the straight A student would never forgive his beach boy brother if a nerd like him wiped out on the first day and was subjected to abject humilation just because everyone else was better at surfing than he was, especially Shura and Egyn.

"Well, Yuki?" Shiemi asked softly. "Will you do it?"

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Hails: So I rushed the hell out of that ending I have no regrets, none.**

 **Stay savvy, my friends.**

 **~Hails**


End file.
